In the morning, a container ship collided with a big bridge in the American city of Baltimore, causing it to collapse and many cars fell into the river.
According to rescue workers, at least seven people are missing in the water. A video uploaded to X, formerly known as Twitter, shows the vehicle hitting a support of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland state, causing the roadway to break in several places and fall into the water. Is. Is. The ship burst into flames and began spewing thick, black smoke.
“This is a serious emergency,” Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told The Associated Press. “Rescuing and recovering these people is our current focus.”
Cartwright said it appeared that at least seven people were in the water and emergency personnel were searching for them. However, he said it was too early to determine the exact number of casualties. The collapse was described by them as a “developing mass casualty incident”.
He also noted that some of the cargo appeared to be hanging on a bridge crossing the Patapsco River, an important waterway which, along with the Port of Baltimore, serves as a major East Coast shipping hub. The bridge, which bears the name of the author of The Star-Spangled Banner, opened its doors in 1977.
According to Cartwright, emergency services were called to the scene at 1.30 pm (4.30 pm AEDT) after receiving reports that a plane leaving from Baltimore had struck a pillar on the bridge. At that time, there were several vehicles on the bridge, one of which was the size of a tractor-trailer truck.
The river temperature Tuesday morning was about 8 degrees, based on data collected by a buoy belonging to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott talked about the incident on the Key Bridge and how it led to the incident.
I’m aware of and en route to the incident at the Key Bridge. I have been in contact with @BaltimoreFire Chief Wallace, @GovWesMoore @JohnnyOJr, and @AACoExec. Emergency personnel are on scene, and efforts are underway.
— Brandon M. Scott (@MayorBMScott) March 26, 2024
Scott mentioned that emergency personnel are currently at the location and their efforts are still ongoing.
The Maryland Transportation Authority tweeted that all lanes in both directions are closed on the I-695 bridge due to an incident, and traffic is being redirected. In 2001, a freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed and caught fire in a tunnel in downtown Baltimore.
This resulted in the release of black smoke in the surrounding area, leading authorities to temporarily close all major roads in the city. The Francis Scott Key Bridge was opened in 1977. This four-lane bridge spans 2.57 kilometers and crosses the Patapsco River. It serves as the outermost crossing of the Port of Baltimore and is a crucial link of Interstate-695, also known as the Baltimore Beltway.
According to Cartwright, the ship is named Dali. Marine Traffic and Vessel Finder has confirmed that a ship of the same name was sailing from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka. WTOP radio station cited Coast Guard Petty Officer Matthew West in Baltimore as saying that the Singapore flag was flying on the ship.
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