BALTIMORE − The Francis Scott Key Bridge, a major span critical to East Coast shipping, collapsed early Tuesday after it was struck by a large cargo ship, prompting a massive emergency response for at least seven people in the water.
The Baltimore City Fire Department described the collapse as a mass-casualty incident. “We received several 911 calls at around 1:30 a.m. that a vessel struck the Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing the collapse.” Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told Reuters. “This is currently a mass casualty incident and we are searching for seven people who are in the river.”
The Associated Press reported that several vehicles had plunged into the river below and said the ship had caught fire. “This is a dire emergency,” Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told AP. “Our focus right now is trying to rescue and recover these people.”
Baltimore Mayor Brendon Scott said on X that he was aware of the incident and was en route to the bridge. “Emergency personnel are on scene, and efforts are underway,” he said.
What happened in the bridge collapse in Baltimore?
Ship tracking data from LSEG shows a Singapore-flagged container ship, the Dali, at the location along the Key Bridge where the accident occurred. Reuters, citing LSEG data, reported that the registered owner of the ship is Grace Ocean Pte Ltd. and that it is managed by Synergy Marine Group.
Synergy Marine Corp. said the Dali collided with one of the pillars of the bridge and that all its crew members, including two pilots, have been accounted for, and there were no reports of any injuries.
USA TODAY contacted the U.S. Coast Guard for comment early Tuesday.
“All lanes closed in both directions for an incident on the I-695 Key Bridge,” the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) said on X early Tuesday. “Traffic is being detoured.”https://e.infogram.com/1plrn3pvk31yv2iqmwwx0dzwnwtzkzg6j7g?src=embed#async_embed
How vital is the Francis Scott Key Bridge?
The Francis Scott Key Bridge, named for the author of the “Star Spangled Banner,” is a 1.6-mile, 4-lane bridge that crosses over the Patapsco River, according to the MDTA. It opened in 1977.
The port’s private and public terminals handled 847,158 autos and light trucks in 2023, the most of any U.S. port. The port also handles farm and construction machinery, sugar, gypsum, and coal, according to a Maryland government website.
The span is the outermost of three major Patapsco River crossings at Baltimore Harbor, according to the American Civil Engineering Society. The steel-arched bridge, with a total length of 8,636 feet, was the second-longest continuous-truss bridge span in the world when it was built and remains the second longest in the United States and third in the world, according to society.
