Authorities confirmed the collapse of a pedestrian bridge at Florida International University resulting in several fatalities, local media report.
Images of the buckled structure at the college in Miami were shared across social media on Thursday afternoon.
The 950-ton span only went up on Saturday, CBS Miami reports.
The Miami Herald reported that an unknown number of people were trapped underneath the bridge, which was built over a motorway.
Skip Twitter post by @GabrielaRose12
THE FIU BRIDGE COLLAPSED OH MY GOD pic.twitter.com/JO7jfx5AoN
— Gabriela Collazo (@GabrielaRose12) March 15, 2018
End of Twitter post by @GabrielaRose12
Media captionMiami bridge collapse witness: ‘This is crazy’
The university issued a statement saying rescue efforts were still underway.
— FIU (@FIU) March 15, 2018
End of Twitter post by @FIU
Miami-Dade County Emergency Management confirmed the collapse and urged locals to avoid the area.
Skip Twitter post by @MiamiDadeEM
Pedestrian bridge under construction @FIU has collapsed. Please avoid the area of SW 8th Street and 109th Avenue. pic.twitter.com/atn7masXqt
— Miami-Dade County EM (@MiamiDadeEM) March 15, 2018
End of Twitter post by @MiamiDadeEM
It is unclear how many people have been injured on or beneath the bridge, but images from a local reporter show cars trapped beneath the fallen structure.
Skip Twitter post by @MoniqueOMadan
Cars are trapped under the bridge. Police confirm “multiple deaths.” @MiamiHerald pic.twitter.com/0XopSxLibE
— Monique O. Madan (@MoniqueOMadan) March 15, 2018
End of Twitter post by @MoniqueOMadan
The Miami Herald said the bridge had long been requested by people at the university so they could avoid the traffic below.
In August 2017, a student was hit and killed by cars while crossing.
The 174ft (53m) cable-supported footbridge was to be publicly opened in 2019, local media say.
Costing $14.2m (£12.5m), it was funded by the US Department of Transportation.