Shocking video: Entire span of Baltimore’s ‘Key Bridge’ collapses into the river below after being struck by cargo ship
(Cover Photo, Video Still, The Guardian / YouTube)
(Updated) At 1:35 a.m. on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, the entire span of Baltimore’s majestic Francis Scott Key Bridge tumbled into the frigid waters of the Patapsco River after a huge cargo ship struck one of the bridge’s support columns. Each and every section of the bridge fell into the waters below in a domino effect, eerily looking like a child’s erector set coming apart.
The tragic incident is already presenting serious repercussions to the area, affecting traffic, commerce, and the lives of those in the Baltimore area – as well as those traveling I-95 and I-695 in Maryland.
Happening now in Baltimore:
- Maryland Gov. Wes Moore declares State of Emergency following collapse of bridge;
- Sonar has detected several vehicles in the water;
- “Search and rescue” underway for at least seven individuals missing after the collapse;
- There were several construction workers on the bridge at the time of the catastrophe;
- All members of the cargo ship “Dali” that struck the bridge are accounted for;
- Several people have already been pulled from the water and at least one of them has survived;
- “There are people in the water that we have to get out” ~ Press Conference
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At 5:55 a.m. today, the City of Baltimore issued a public advisory stating that, “The Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapsed into the Baltimore Harbor early this morning due to a Cargo Ship colliding with the support beam causing the Bridge to break and fall into the water. Currently I-695 bridge is closed at both ends, and traffic is being detoured.”
The advisory went on to inform the public that the Baltimore City Fire Department, Baltimore Police Department, Baltimore Mayor’s Office, and the Baltimore County Executive’s Office would be at the forefront of a 6:15 a.m. press conference to update the situation surrounding the bridge collapse.
The news conference was conducted at 3300 Fort Armistead Road in Baltimore. Baltimore City Fire Chief James Wallace, Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Baltimore County Executive Jonny Olszewski Jr. were present.
Press conference video:
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The Key Bridge, over one and one-half miles long, an integral part of the southeast corner of Baltimore’s Interstate 695 Beltway system, spans the Patapsco River and serves as a vital transportation link. 30,000 peole normally drive over the span every day. The tragic event has also raised concerns about the safety and integrity of infrastructure and the need for rigorous inspection and maintenance protocols across the State and the country.
In today’s early morning hours, rescue operations were immediately launched in search of survivors who fell into the river following the collapse. The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that the DALI container ship, measuring 948 feet, made contact with the bridge, resulting in the catastrophic failure of the structure.
Immediately following the destruction of the bridge, a flurry of unfounded conspiracy theories spread across social media. One video currently circulating online, purportedly showing an “alternate angle” of the crash with a massive explosion, is not from the Francis Scott Key Bridge disaster – but is footage from the October 2022 attack on the Kerch Strait Bridge in Crimea, which was widely covered by world media at the time.
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At 9:36 a.m. today, Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott issued an Executive Order declaring a State of Emergency in Baltimore City in response to the Key Bridge collapse. The Executive Order mobilizes the City of Baltimore’s Emergency Operations Plan to deploy emergency resources to protect the persons affected by the incident and expands the resources available to tackle this catastrophic event.
This State of Emergency is in effect starting 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, and will remain in place for thirty days, subject to renewal or cancellation as conditions warrant.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge opened on March 23, 1977, and just celebrated its 47th anniversary.
Update, March 26, 2024, 7:05 p.m.
As the first day of the Key Bridge collapse turns to night,
we have learned and we’re hearing the following:
- One of the key phrases we’re hearing coming out of Baltimore is that “people are heartbroken.” This writer lived on the Essex, Maryland, side of the bridge for six years and as a Maryland resident for 41 years, often having occasion to cross the Key Bridge – and always marveling at its beauty.
- Until just moments ago, search and rescue efforts continued as six people are still unaccounted for. Those missing people are six of the eight construction workers who were on the bridge repairing and filling potholes at the time of the collapse.
- Just now, the construction company that employed those six missing workers released word that those six workers are now “presumed dead.” The U.S. Coast Guard also stated the same.
- Search boats are in the area, but efforts are hampered as underwater drones show a massive amount of dangerous twisted steel beneath the river’s surface – keeping divers out of the water for safety reasons.
- One section of the steel trusses that comprised the Key Bridge is sitting on the bow of the Dali, the cargo ship that crashed into the bridge.
- At 1:30 a.m., the Dali lost power but somehow managed to get a Mayday out, which allowed officials to shut down the bridge to vehicle traffic prior to the crash, which certainly saved lives.
- Initially, eight construction workers went into the water due to the collapse. Two people were rescued from the water immediately following the collapse, and are doing “very well.” As earlier stated, the remaining six workers are now presumed dead.
- Ship traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore is shut down indefinitely. The Port of Baltimore is one of the busiest ports in America.
- Today, U.S Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke about rebuilding the Key Bridge, saying, “This is no ordinary bridge, this is one of the cathedrals of American infrastructure. It has been part of the skyline of this region longer than many of us has been alive.’ Buttigieg added that “the path to normalcy’ for the Baltimore community after the tragedy ‘will not be easy, will not be quick, and will not be inexpensive.”
- President Joe Biden said that the federal government would “pay the entire cost of reconstructing” the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, adding that he hoped it would be rebuilt and reopened “as soon as humanly possible.”
For more on this shocking and catastrophic collapse, see the videos below.
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(Sources: MSNBC, NBC News, CNN, WJZ, CBS News Baltimore)
Written by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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