MIAMI (AP) — Crews found cracks in a key part of a pedestrian bridge that collapsed in Florida earlier than previously acknowledged, but it remains unclear whether the fissures caused the structure's failure.
The Miami Herald reports that documents from Florida International University show the cracks were found in late February. The structure collapsed March 15, killing six people.
Photos show the cracks in a piece of a support truss on the north end of the span where the collapse began.
Bridge engineers told the newspaper that the cracks suggest a problem that should have been addressed before the section that failed was moved into place.
The documents did not indicate whether construction crews repaired the cracks before the failure.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the collapse.
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Information from: The Miami Herald, http://www.herald.com
