Baltimore Key Bridge Callapse: What Happened?

By FrumNews.com

Baltimore, MD – At 1:27 a.m., A Mass-Casualty was declared when a Singapore-flagged full cargo ship, which had just left the port of Baltimore, bound for Sri Lanka. Struck a pilar of Baltimore’s Key Bridge (I-695) in Maryland, causing it to collapse. The structure snapped and buckled at several points and tumbled, sending several people and vehicles into the water — into the river in a matter of seconds. 

As of Tuesday afternoon, search and rescue teams are ongoing. A team of construction workers was filling potholes on the bridge during the collision. Two workers were saved and pulled from the river, during rescue operations.

Following a Mayday warning from the ship, when the ship briefly lost power and was unable to steer. Local police and construction workers were able to block traffic from the bridge, heroically saving countless lives.

Sonar detection shows multiple cars submerged in the water.

Tragic #baltimorebridge pic.twitter.com/E97o1USnxW

— Dr. Casinova (@coverhug) March 26, 2024

President Joe Biden announced that the Coast Guard would continue search-and-rescue efforts in the area and that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would clear the channel to help reopen Baltimore to ship traffic. He also pledged federal money to the effort.

“Officials at the scene estimate eight people were unaccounted for still — not still, were unaccounted for.  That number might change.  Two have been rescued — one without injury, one in critical condition.  And the search-and-rescue operation is continuing for all those remaining as we speak.” The president said

The bridge spanned the lower Patapsco River carrying 30,000 computers along the vital Route 695, which connects Baltimore to Dundalk. The bridge collapse also shut down the Port of Baltimore, one of the largest shipping hubs, which processed 52.3 million tons in 2023. 

Preliminary investigations say it was most likely an accident, not terrorism. “There is no specific and credible information to suggest any ties to terrorism at this time. The investigation is ongoing.” Baltimore FBI office said in a statement.

The NTSB and other state and federal agencies launched their investigations into the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. ​Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Maryland Governor Wes Moore have issued a state of Emergency, freeing up emergency powers to help emergency efforts.

The Port of Baltimore is one of the largest ports in the Northeast, and while trains and trucks can still access the port, cargo ships will be halted for the foreseeable future, causing supply chain issues of supplies in the Philadelphia-Baltimore-DC area.

In response, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which controls the largest port on the East Coast, said they would assist in adding capacity at its ports and are “proactively working with our industry partners to respond as needed and ensure supply chain continuity along the East Coast.”