Contractor Behind Miami Bridge Collapse Has Filed for Bankruptcy

The biggest story in the construction industry last year was a shocking pedestrian bridge collapse that killed 6 and injured many others on FIU’s campus in Miami, Florida. Since the collapse, there have been many civil lawsuits filed, a closed OSHA investigation, and an ongoing NTSB investigative report. The General Contractor on that project, Munilla Construction Management (MCM), has recently filed for bankruptcy protection, according to the Miami Herald.

On Friday, the Herald reported that MCM filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, which would allow the company to negotiate with creditors.  The company said it plans to negotiate all claims during their bankruptcy proceedings, including the ones related to the FIU bridge collapse.  MCM stated in a press release that this filing should not be taken “as an attempt to avoid any responsibility that might be assigned to the Company for the collapse of the bridge.”

“Our prayers continue to be with the families of those we lost and everyone in our community that was impacted,” Jorge Munilla, president of MCM, said in the press release.

MCM, which was in recent years one of the top builders in Miami on government projects, has been struggling to bid jobs in recent months. The Herald reported that the company had won over $69 million worth of contracts since 2014, but has not received a payment from Miami-Dade county since May 2018.

The full bankruptcy process is expected to take 4 months.

“MCM’s doors are open, and the company continues to conduct business as it navigates this process,” added Munilla. “As always, our management team and employees remain focused on doing great work for our valued customers. The reorganization will have minimal impact on operations.”

Full story: MCM, the contractor behind FIU bridge that collapsed, files for bankruptcy protection | Miami Hearld