ConDig (05-Mar-19).  Florida-based contractor Magnum Construction Management (MCM), which was in charge of building the pedestrian bridge that collapsed in Miami nearly one year ago, killing six people, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The Miami-based company, formerly Munilla Construction Management, is facing lawsuits following the fatal collapse of a pedestrian bridge at Florida International University and has filed for protection in order to restructure, meet its payroll and complete ongoing projects.

The collapse of the 174-foot, 950-ton span occurred on March 15 last year and resulted in the death of six people. Eight others were injured when the bridge fell, crushing eight vehicles, including seven that were occupied.

“Chapter 11 provides the opportunity for all of the claims asserted against the company, including those arising from the failure of the University City Prosperity Project, to be addressed comprehensively in one forum,” MCM said in a statement.

“The filing of the Chapter 11 case is not an attempt to avoid any responsibility that might be assigned to the company for the collapse of the bridge. The company intends to resolve those claims as part of the restructuring.”

In its filing, MCM reports between 1,000 and 5,000 creditors, estimated assets of $98.8 million and estimated liabilities of $47.5 million. 

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) continues to investigate the bridge collapse. But in its second investigative update in November it said design errors led to an overestimation of the capacity of a critical section of bridge and an apparent underestimation of the load on that section. Cracking observed before the collapse was consistent with the identified errors, the NTSB said in its two-page update.

According to MCM, its insurance coverage is likely to be capped at $42 million. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) said in September that it had fined five construction companies following the pedestrian bridge collapse.

The five companies collectively received seven violations, totaling $86,658 in proposed penalties.

OSHA cited civil and structural engineering company Figg Bridge Engineers Inc; Network Engineering Services Inc; post-tension company Structural Technologies LLC; Munilla Construction Management LLC and The Structural Group of South Florida Inc., which is a contractor specializing in concrete formwork.