Correction: The Francis Scott Key Bridge spans the lower Patapsco River and outer Baltimore Harbor / Port
A key bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, collapsed today into a river after being struck by a container ship, causing at least 20 workers and several vehicles to fall into the river.
A Baltimore City Fire Department spokesperson said the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River after being hit by the container ship in the early hours of the morning on Tuesday (March 26).
According to the BBC, there is now a multi-agency rescue operation on the scene. It is not currently clear if there have been any casualties.
At around 01:30 am local time, a bypasser reportedly called 911, the American emergency telephone number, reporting an incident in the Francis Scott Key Bridge area.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland, USA, collapsed after being struck by a container ship
Chief Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore City Fire Department, told the BBC in the early hours of the incident that the bridge had been struck by “a large vessel,” causing it to collapse into the Patapsco River.
He said at the time that “as many as seven individuals and several vehicles” fell into the river.
Bored Panda is now informed that as many as 20 workers are believed to have fallen into the Patapsco River, as per the Baltimore City Fire Department communications chief, who also said the situation was likely to change as more details emerge.
Footage was taken showing the moment “a large vessel” struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge
The Maryland Transport Authority reportedly confirmed that all lanes have been closed in both directions due to an “incident” on the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the US city of Baltimore.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has since expressed that he was aware of the accident and that he was in contact with local authorities.
Scott said: “I’m aware of and en route to the incident at the Key Bridge… Emergency personnel are on scene, and efforts are underway.”
As of Tuesday 08:47 CET, there were no reports of casualties after the bridge collapsed. Nevertheless, the temperature in Baltimore Harbour is currently 9°C (48°F), subjecting victims to the risk of hypothermia.
There have not been any reported casualties so far, but several people and vehicles fell into the river
#BREAKINGNEWS #maryland #baltimore #Keybridge collapses after contact with cargo ship pic.twitter.com/A1LmKwZxkX
— Hayward Jablomi (@HaywerdJablomi) March 26, 2024
Footage was taken showing the moment “a large vessel” struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the Baltimore Fire Department reportedly said.
There is now an ongoing multi-agency rescue operation being led by the fire department, collaborating with the U.S. Coast Guard and other Maryland agencies.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge is a historic 1.6-mile (2.6-km) bridge that spans the lower Patapsco River and outer Baltimore Harbor / Port carrying Maryland Route 695 in Baltimore.
It is said to be the longest in Baltimore and the world’s third-longest continuous truss bridge, according to the National News.
Image credits: JupiterImages
Shipping company Synergy Marine Group has confirmed as of 10:22 CET that it was a Singapore-flagged container ship identified as “Dali” responsible for colliding with a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
“Whilst the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined, the ‘Dali’ has now mobilized its Qualified Individual Incident response service,” the shipping company reportedly said.
All crew members, including the two pilots who were aboard, have been accounted for and there are no reports of any injuries, the company reportedly added.
Ian Firth, a structural engineer and bridge designer, told the BBC a heavy ship like the Dali will impart a very large load of many thousands of tonnes when it hits something solid, such as a bridge support.
“The support is a very, relatively, flimsy structure when you look at it, it’s a kind of trestle structure with individual legs”, he said. “So, the bridge has collapsed simply as a result of this very large impact force.”
The vessel should have been going, of course, down the centre of the channel some 350 metres (1,150ft) wide, Firth explained, “but for whatever reason it must have strayed off and has hit the support”.
