MIAMI – Two of the companies behind the $14.3 million walkway that collapsed at Florida International University have a history of public work projects and some safety issues.
The three companies behind the bridge are Munilla Construction Management (MCM), FIGG Bridge Group and Bolton Perez Associates.
A special construction method was used on the pedestrian bridge that collapsed in Florida on Thursday, killing several people. The method is known as "accelerated bridge construction," and it's meant to minimize traffic disruption and maximize safety.
FIGG is the same company that built the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and was part of the team that built the Selmon Expressway.
Both FIGG and Munilla have been accused of unsafe practices in the past.
In FIGG’s case, a 90-ton section of a bridge the company was building in Virginia collapsed in 2012. The Virginian Pilot reports four workers were hurt and that state regulators fined FIGG $28,000 for safety violations saying it was "pure luck no one was killed."
Just 10 days ago, MCM was sued in South Florida by a TSA employee who was hurt at the Fort Lauderdale airport. The employee's lawyer alleges that a makeshift bridge MCM built for workers to use while the company does construction at the airport broke under his weight.
Both MCM and FIGG said they will cooperate with investigators on the scene. FIGG added they are stunned, and that in their 40-year history nothing like this has ever happened before. Workers at the scene report that Thursday the bridge was reportedly undergoing some sort of stress test.
This past Saturday, it was a moment of celebration for Florida International University (FIU) when the pedestrian bridge was put into place. FIU posted a time-lapse video showing of the event.
FIU President Mark Rosenberg issued a statement:
“I have not spoken to Munilla Construction, but I am satisfied that the testing that was occurring was consistent with best practices.”
Want to read Rosenberg’s full written statement? Click or tap here
Editor's Note: CBS News contributed to this story.
