First responder efforts during the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on March 26 have been widely praised as well coordinated. Traffic was quickly diverted before the bridge tumbled into the water, avoiding greater loss of life. Still, eight construction workers fell into the water along with the bridge. Two were rescued, two were later found dead and the rest are presumed dead.
NPR's Investigations Team analyzed more than 1,000 radio messages exchanged between first responders from the Maryland Transportation Authority Police, Baltimore City Fire Department and Baltimore City Police on the day of the collapse, downloaded from Broadcastify.com. The communications, most of which have not been published by any other outlet, reveal new details about the response from police and firefighters and highlight what those first responders did and did not know about the construction crew before and after the collapse.
