A shocking incident occurred yesterday when a woman was seriously injured as the Brickell Avenue Bridge in Miami began to rise while she was still on it, resulting in her falling a significant distance. Both Local 10 News and NBC Miami report the woman was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital following the accident, which happened around 10:45 a.m.
Witnesses at the scene described a chaotic situation as the bridge, spanning 90 feet, lifted with the woman reportedly dancing and playing before the accident; she attempted to scale the bridge but lost her grasp and fell, reports Local 10 News.
Conor Walsh, a witness and former lifeguard, recounted the harrowing moment saying, "she was trying to climb up the bridge and as she got halfway up, she was holding onto the side and then she just dropped," according to the NBC Miami interview; he additionally witnessed the aftermath, noting that "her shins went through her kneecaps," signaling grim injuries.
According to authorities, a bridge tender informed police officers that the woman had been "causing a scene" prior to the incident and another witness stated that she appeared to be "under the influence of something" as the bridge started to open. During the intense rescue effort to save the injured woman, one of the first responders sustained a cut and was subsequently taken to the hospital for treatment, stated by Local 10 News.
The Miami Police are currently investigating the incident and have yet to release the identity or the current condition of the woman involved in the accident, the officer's condition after the rescue effort was also not disclosed; despite the active investigation and swarming of first responders to the scene, what led to the woman being on the bridge during its operation remains unclear though speculation is rife as the community reacts to the shocking event, NBC Miami reports.
