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A large section of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore has collapsed into the water after it was struck by a large container ship.
Videos posted to social media showed multiple portions of the 1.6 mile-long bridge coming down into the Patapsco River along with a number of cars that were crossing at the time.
Emergency services believe at least seven people are in the river and rescue efforts are underway.
Baltimore Police say they have been notified of the bridge’s partial collapse and that a number of people are believed to be in the water.
The 47-year-old bridge has now been closed to traffic, the Maryland Transportation Authority said on X in a statement, citing an “incident”.
“All lanes closed both directions for incident on I-695 Key Bridge. Traffic is being detoured,” it said.
Baltimore’s mayor wrote on X: “I’m aware of and en route to the incident at the Key Bridge. I have been in contact with [Fire] Chief Wallace, @GovWesMoore@JohnnyOJr, and @AACoExec. Emergency personnel are on scene, and efforts are underway.”
WATCH: Moment bridge in Baltimore collapses after ship collision
Rachel Sharp26 March 2024 08:22
In pictures: Key bridge collapses after being struck by ship
(Stream Tim live)
Screengrab of a video showing the moment a cargo ship hit the Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse
(Reuters)
(Reuters)
Matt Mathers26 March 2024 08:08
Watch: Boat tracker captures moment container ship crashes into Baltimore bridge
Matt Mathers26 March 2024 07:59
Cargo hanging from the bridge creating unstable conditions – emergency services
Emergency responders were searching for at least seven people believed to be in the water, Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told the Associated Press around 3 am.
He said agencies received 911 calls around 1:30 am reporting a vessel traveling outbound from Baltimore that had struck a column on the bridge, causing it to collapse. Multiple vehicles were on the bridge at the time, including one the size of a tractor-trailer.
“Our focus right now is trying to rescue and recover these people,” Cartwright said. He said it’s too early to know how many people were affected but called the collapse a “developing mass casualty event.”
Cartwright said it appears there are “some cargo or retainers hanging from the bridge,” creating unsafe and unstable conditions, and that emergency responders are operating cautiously as a result.
Matt Mathers26 March 2024 07:57
At least 7 people thought to be in river
At least seven people are thought to be in the water after the bridge collapsed.
Emergency services are at the scene and rescue efforts are underway.
A large portion of the Francis Scott Key Bridge is now under water, as flight tracking website FlightRadar24 showed the Maryland State Police circling the site of the crash in a helicopter.
Matt Mathers26 March 2024 07:55
Ship was Singapore flagged ‘Dali’
The ship that crashed into the bridge was the Singapore vessel Dali.
According to the Marine Traffic website, the ship was bound for Colombo Port in Sri Lanka.
The boat’s length overall (LOA) is 299.92 meters and width is 48.2 meters.
Matt Mathers26 March 2024 07:44
Vessel catches fire before sinking
Around 1:30 am, a large vessel crashed into the bridge, catching on fire before sinking and causing multiple vehicles to fall into the water below, according to a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“All lanes closed both directions for incident on I-695 Key Bridge. Traffic is being detoured,” the Maryland Transportation Authority posted on X.
“Emergency personnel are on scene, and efforts are underway,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott posted on X.
Matt Mathers26 March 2024 07:30
Key bridge hit by container ship
Baltimore’s Key Bridge has collapsed into the water after it was hit by a container ship.
Multiple videos shared on social media showed a large cargo ship ramming into one of the bridge’s support pillars, causing it to come crashing down into the Patapsco River, along with a number of cars that were on the bridge at the time.
The 47-year-old bridge has now been closed to traffic, the Maryland Transportation Authority said on X in a statement, citing an “incident”.
Matt Mathers26 March 2024 07:27
Welcome to The Independent’s live blog on the collapse of Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.
Matt Mathers26 March 2024 07:22
