Baltimore: Several cars were on the Francis Scott Key Bridge when a large cargo vessel hit it. Although there was no official release of any casualties or injuries, multiple media reported at least 20 people were missing since the bridge collapsed in the Patapsco River on Tuesday morning (local time). The media reports claimed that the incident occurred at around 1:30 am when a 300-metre Singapore-flagged ‘Dali’ ship slammed into one of the bridge's pillars.
VIDEO: Moment when a cargo vessel collided with Baltimore bridge
Meanwhile, Maryland’s governor, Wes Moore declared a state of emergency after the collapse of the bridge. “I have declared a State of Emergency here in Maryland and we are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden Administration,” Moore, said in a statement posted to X.
VIDEO: Aftermath of Baltimore bridge collapse
"Unthinkable tragedy"
The ship crashed into one of the bridge’s supports, causing the structure to snap and buckle at several points and tumble into the water in a matter of seconds — a shocking spectacle that was captured on video and posted on social media. The vessel caught fire, and thick, black smoke billowed out of it.
“Never would you think that you would see, physically see, the Key Bridge tumble down like that. It looked like something out of an action movie,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, calling it “an unthinkable tragedy.”
Fire Chief James Wallace said authorities “may be looking for upwards of seven people” but said that number could change and other officials wouldn’t give figures. It was not clear if the two rescued were included in the seven cited by the fire chief. Authorities said a crew of unknown size was working on the bridge at the time of the collapse and that sonar had detected cars in the water, which is about 50 feet (15 meters) deep. The water temperature was about 47 degrees Fahrenheit (8 degrees Celsius) before dawn Tuesday, according to a buoy that collects data for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
