Baltimore Bridge Collapse: Latest Updates and Rescue Efforts

TFD – Get real-time updates on the Baltimore bridge collapse and the extensive search and rescue mission in progress along the Patapsco River.

Before the incident, which resulted in the bridge collapsing into the icy Patapsco River, the crew of a sizable cargo ship near Baltimore warned of electrical problems, according to authorities.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld stated that at least six persons who were allegedly a member of a work crew fixing potholes on the bridge are still missing.

According to Chief James Wallace of the Baltimore City Fire Department, two persons have been rescued from the Patapsco River. He stated that one of them was unharmed while the other was brought to a nearby trauma clinic in “very serious condition.”

LIVE UPDATES: Ship accident causes the Baltimore bridge to fall

Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland stated that lives were probably spared by the ship’s crew’s warning.

“We’re grateful that we had officials who could start to stop the flow of traffic so more cars weren’t on the bridge between the mayday and the collapse,” Moore remarked. He referred to the authorities as heroes.

Moore stated that at the time of the collapse, the bridge complied with regulations. According to him, the Marylanders who had used the bridge for 47 years found its collapse to be a “shocking and heartbreaking” occurrence.

According to Kevin Cartwright, the director of communications for the Baltimore City Fire Department, multiple vehicles—including one as big as a tractor-trailer—are thought to have fallen into the water early on Tuesday.

CNN was informed by Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott that “we have an unspeakable tragedy.”

At the time, there were people working on the bridge. Our fire department, using sonar to guide this search and rescue operation, has established that there are cars in the water. We are concentrating on finding those spirits and getting them out of this water; that is where we are at,” Scott stated.

According to Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld, repair work on the bridge was being done by contractors hired by the state transportation agency when it collapsed on Tuesday morning. He did not say how many employees were present.

The DALI, a container ship flying the Singaporean flag, struck the bridge shortly before 1:30 a.m., according to Kimberly Reaves, the public affairs officer for the US Coast Guard’s 5th District. Its length is approximately 984 feet, based on the ship tracking website MarineTraffic.

Shortly before contact, the ship steered toward a bridge pillar while lights flickered and a dark cloud of smoke billowed from it, according to CNN’s examination of MarineTraffic data.

According to a statement from the ship management business Synergy Group, no crew members were hurt on board.

Although there is now “absolutely no indication that it was intentional,” Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley stated Tuesday morning, several organizations are looking into the crash.

The four-lane, 1.6-mile bridge spans the Patapsco River and is a crucial component of I-695, sometimes known as the Baltimore Beltway, as well as the outermost crossing of Baltimore Harbor.

The most recent advancements are as follows:

• According to officials on Tuesday, a number of aviation and marine units have been sent out for the search, and representatives from the local police and fire departments, the Coast Guard, and the Baltimore FBI are also present to help. • On Tuesday, Scott and Moore proclaimed a state of emergency for the whole state and city. • According to a White House official, CNN, the situation is being closely watched. In reaction to the collapse, US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced that the federal government is providing support. An official from the transportation department told CNN that he is anticipated in Baltimore on Tuesday. • Danish Shipping company Maersk told CNN it chartered the ship, which was carrying Maersk customer cargo. The company said no Maersk personnel were onboard the vessel, which is operated by charter vessel

Rescue operations are under progress.

Search and rescue activities have commenced, according to Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, who spoke with CNN.

“The circumstances are challenging,” Olszewski remarked. We are discussing a deep channel port. There are powerful currents and 40 to 50 feet of water. The water is chilly and the weather is windy. Therefore, in addition to the collapse from the bridge, we are undoubtedly concerned about the people in the water.

To guarantee that “everyone operating here on the scene is safe and that we’re able to make progress without causing adverse harm to anyone else,” teams were working “methodically and safely,” according to Cartwright.

Wallace, the fire chief, stated that searching for persons may be difficult during high tide.

Wallace stated that authorities will depend on the skilled divers supporting the search “to tell us when they believe we’ve reached that non-survivability point.”

From the bridge, all traffic is being diverted, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority.

A major portion of the bridge crashed into the sea below in a matter of seconds as a towering boat collided with one of the support columns of the bridge, as shown in the collision footage. The nearby sections of the bridge collapsed as soon as the impact occurred.

A portion of the bridge appeared to collapse over the front of the boat, and the collision propelled massive plumes of flames and smoke skyward, as seen in the video. For several minutes, the air was filled with dark smoke.

Francis Scott Key, the man responsible for the name of the bridge, is said to have observed the bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814 while sitting close to the bridge’s location, which served as inspiration for the lyrics of the “Star Spangled Banner.”

We will be updating this story as it develops.