A container ship collided with a key bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, causing it to snap in many places and plunge into the river below. Several vehicles went into the cold water, and rescuers were initially looking for at least seven individuals.
Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace reported that two persons were rescued from the floods beneath the Francis Scott Key Bridge, one of them was seriously injured.
According to a video shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, the cargo ship appears to have collided with one of the bridge’s supports in the middle of the night, when traffic is often lighter. The vessel caught fire, and heavy black smoke billowed from it.
“Never would you have imagined that the Key Bridge would collapse so dramatically. “It looked like something out of an action film,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, calling it a “unthinkable tragedy.”
The fire chief said officials “may be looking for up to seven people,” but that figure might change. It was unclear whether the two rescuers were included in the seven.
Sonar has revealed the presence of automobiles in the ocean, where the temperature was around 47 degrees Fahrenheit (8 degrees Celsius) in the early hours of Tuesday, according to a buoy that collects data for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, previously told The Associated Press that six vehicles were on the bridge at the time, including one the size of a tractor-trailer truck.
He described the fall as a “developing mass casualty event,” but he didn’t know how many people were affected.
Cartwright also reported that some cargo looked to be dangling from the bridge, which spans the Patapsco River at the entrance to a bustling harbour. The river flows to the Port of Baltimore, a significant maritime hub on the East Coast. The bridge, which opened in 1977, is named for the author of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore announced a state of emergency and said he was working to mobilise federal resources. The FBI was also present at the scene.
Synergy Marine Group, which owns and administers the ship “Dali,” reported that the vessel collided with a bridge pillar around 1:30 a.m. while two pilots were in charge. According to the report, all crew members, including the pilots, are safe, and no injuries have been reported.
From a vantage point near the bridge’s entrance, jagged pieces of its steel frame could be seen projecting from the water, and the on-ramp abruptly ended where the span once began.
According to Marine Traffic and Vessel Finder, the vessel Dali was sailing from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka. The ship was flying the Singapore flag, according to WTOP radio, citing Coast Guard Petty Officer Matthew West in Baltimore.
In 2001, a goods train transporting hazardous commodities derailed in a tunnel in downtown Baltimore and caught fire, pouring black smoke into nearby neighbourhoods and prompting officials to temporarily close all key highways into the city.
