Companies Involved In The Collapsed Florida Bridge Faced Previous Safety Violations And Lawsuits

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Multiple construction companies involved in the Florida bridge that collapsed Thursday, killing multiple people, have previously been accused of unsafe practices at other work sites.

The bridge that collapsed Thursday spanned a wide intersection at Florida International University, crushing cars and prompting a rescue effort. The cause of the collapse was not immediately known, but the 950-ton section of bridge was only installed on Saturday after the support towers were completed at either end.

One of the companies involved in building the bridge, Munilla Construction Management, is currently facing a lawsuit over a temporary bridge that collapsed in October 2016 at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Munilla has a contract to expand a terminal at the airport, and as part of the construction site, erected a short plywood walkway. When TSA worker Jose Perez stepped onto the structure, it collapsed, his attorney, Tesha Allison, told BuzzFeed News.

Allison said Munilla had been repeatedly warned about problems with the small bridge.

"They were told of the fact that the structure they built was not safe and they did not fix it," she added.

Perez suffered broken bones and spinal injuries and is "still in considerable pain," Allison said.

Munilla issued a statement about the Florida bridge collapse, but did not respond to BuzzFeed News' request for comment on the lawsuit Thursday. Allison said the case has not yet gone to trial.

FIGG Bridge Group, another company involved in the Florida pedestrian overpass, has also faced trouble in the past over its safety practices. In 2012, piece of concrete that was 52-feet long and 10-feet wide collapsed from a bridge the company was working on, according court documents reviewed by BuzzFeed News. Six workers were injured, WTKR reported, and Virginia's Occupational and Safety Health Compliance Office fined the company $28,000 for safety violations, including inadequate training and inspections.

FIGG also modified a girder system, which violated the policy of the system's manufacturer, according to WTKR. In a statement to the station, FIGG said the citation "is not related to the structural integrity of the completed project in any way."

A railroad company later sued FIGG over the collapse, but the case was dismissed with prejudice in December 2013, according to court documents.

FIGG did not respond to BuzzFeed News' inquiries about the 2012 incident. In a statement Thursday, the company said it was "stunned by today's tragic collapse of a pedestrian bridge."

This is a developing story. Check back later and follow @BuzzFeedNews on Twitter for updates.

LINK: There Are Fatalities And Several People Injured After A Pedestrian Bridge Collapsed At Florida International University

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