Radio traffic in the moments before a cargo ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore captured how authorities swiftly responded to prevent a potential disaster. According to a recording of the transmissions on Broadcastify, officials were alerted to the ship approaching the bridge.
One voice on the radio urgently directed personnel to position themselves on both the south and north sides of the bridge to halt all traffic. The reason for this precaution was explained - the approaching ship had lost its steering, necessitating the need to ensure the safety of all on the bridge.
Shortly after the warning, units reported that the bridge collapsed, approximately 90 seconds later, at 1:27 a.m. ET. The chaos and shock of the moment were palpable in the audio recordings as a voice exclaimed, 'The whole bridge just fell down. Start, start whoever … everybody. The whole bridge just collapsed.'
As the situation unfolded, there was confusion and concern about the traffic that had been stopped on the bridge. A voice inquired about the status of the halted vehicles, to which another voice responded with a chilling confirmation, 'I can’t get to the other side, sir. The bridge is down.'
The dramatic events captured in the radio traffic underscore the critical role of swift and decisive action by authorities in averting potential disasters. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of effective communication and emergency response protocols in ensuring public safety in such situations.
