Search and rescue mission underway after Baltimore’s Key Bridge collapses

BALTIMORE — A major bridge in Baltimore snapped and collapsed after a container ship rammed into it early Tuesday, and several vehicles fell into the river below. Rescuers were searching for at least seven people in the water.

The vessel appears to have hit one of the supports of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the roadway to break apart in several places and plunge into the water, according to a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. The ship caught fire, and thick, black smoke billowed out of it.

“This is a dire emergency,” Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told The Associated Press. “Our focus right now is trying to rescue and recover these people.”

Emergency responders were searching for at least seven people believed to be in the water, Cartwright said, though he said it’s too early to know how many people were affected. He called the collapse a “developing mass casualty event.”

He added that some cargo appeared to be dangling from the bridge, which spans the Patapsco River, a vital artery that along with the Port of Baltimore is a hub for shipping on the East Coast. Opened in 1977, the bridge is named for the writer of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Agencies received emergency calls around 1:30 a.m. reporting that a ship leaving Baltimore had struck a column on the bridge, according to Cartwright. Several vehicles were on the bridge at the time, including one the size of a tractor-trailer truck.

The temperature in the river was about 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.

From a vantage point near the entrance to the bridge, jagged remnants of its steel frame were visible protruding from the water, with the on-ramp ending abruptly where the span once began.

The ship is called “Dali,” according to Cartwright. A vessel by that name was headed from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka, as its final destination, according to Marine Traffic and Vessel Finder. The ship was flying under a Singapore flag, WUSA9’s Jess Arnold reported, citing the website vesselfinder.com.  According to the ship’s owner, all crew members, including two pilots have been accounted for and there are no reports of any injuries. There was no report of a fuel spill related to the collision.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore confirms that the ship is a 95,000 gross tonnage container vessel operating with 22 crew onboard at the time of the incident.

Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. posted that emergency personnel were responding and rescue efforts were underway.

In a press conference Tuesday morning, authorities said two people were pulled from the water. One person was hospitalized with serious injuries. Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said crews are still in a search and rescue posture and are working to rescue at least seven people from the water. That number has fluctuated throughout the morning and would likely rise as the sun came up.

The crew aboard the ship has been accounted for and remain on the ship, according to Wallace. 

Dozens of first responders are on the scene of the collapse, working together. 

“This is an unthinkable tragedy,” said Mayor Brandon Scott. “We have to first and foremost pray for all of those impacted.”

When asked about what the bridge collapse means for the infrastructure of the city, the mayor said all involved are more concerned about the immediate aftermath of the collapse.

Wallace said it’s still unclear how many vehicles ended up in the water Tuesday morning. 

While the investigation remains in its early stages, authorities said there is no indication the collapse had anything to do with terrorism. 

Maryland State Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said drivers should avoid Interstate 695 southeast corridor and use I-95 and I-895 as alternate routes. Traffic currently on I-695 is being diverted southbound at Exit 43 and northbound at Exit 2

Check our interactive traffic map for the latest conditions. 

Wiedefeld said the port is closed, but it is too early to determine how long it will remain closed. 

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore released the following statement on Tuesday morning: 

My office is in close communication with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, and the Baltimore Fire Department as emergency personnel are on the scene following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key 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. 

We are thankful for the brave men and women who are carrying out efforts to rescue those involved and pray for everyone’s safety.

We will remain in close contact with federal, state, and local entities that are carrying out rescue efforts as we continue to assess and respond to this tragedy.

RELATED: Water temperatures could complicate rescue efforts after Baltimore’s Key Bridge collapse

RELATED: A list of major US bridge collapses caused by ships and barges

Neighbors who live in the area reacted with disbelief following the collapse of the bridge.

We spoke with Venetia Barbie, who lives in the Turner Station neighborhood in Dundalk, Maryland. She was awoken by the collapsing bridge. It shook her home, where she lives with her 87-year-old mother.

“I was scared and didn’t know what was going on,” Barbie said.

She said she’s been using the bridge to get to work since 1982 and she was shocked that the collapse happened.

“It’s incomprehensible to even believe that the bridge is gone,” she said. 

As the investigation into the bridge collapse continues, the National Transportation Safety Board is launching a go team to assist. 

Do you have a news tip on this story or any other story? We want to hear from you. Tell us about it by emailing newstips@wusa9.com.

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