NOS News•today, 08:08•Changed today, 11:39
Bridge in Baltimore collapses
A bridge in the US city of Baltimore collapsed following a cargo ship collided with it. This is the Francis Scott Key Bridge, a steel bridge of approximately 2,500 meters long.
Baltimore’s fire chief said in a news conference that two people were rescued from the water following the bridge collapsed. One of them was seriously injured.
The collision took place around 1:30 am local time (6:30 am Dutch time). Images show that the ship collides with a pier, causing large bridge sections to immediately collapse into the water.
It is not clear how many people are still in the water. Rescue services previously said that at least seven to as many as 20 people were being sought. Several vehicles are also said to have fallen into the water. Among other things, divers are looking for people.
NOS
A spokesperson for the fire brigade in Baltimore tells American media that rescue work is made more difficult because it is unsafe on the largely collapsed bridge.
He said he might not yet say anything regarding the number of victims, but he expected that several people did not survive the accident.
A rescue worker on site shared photos of the situation at the bridge following the collapse:
Maryland Governor Wes Moore has declared a state of emergency. “We are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden administration,” Moore said on X.
Traffic that would drive over the bridge is now diverted via tunnels, say the local transport authority. Road users transporting hazardous materials must take detours via roads in the area.
The cargo ship that collided with the pier is a ship named Dali sailing under the flag of Singapore, is apparent from shipping details. The Dali’s destination was Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka.
11.5 million vehicles
The ship had two pilots (specialists who assist the captain with navigation in a specific area) on board when the accident occurred. They were unharmed following the accident, just like the rest of the crew.
It is not clear why the ship hit the pier. The owners and managers of the ship said in a statement that they are cooperating with the investigation into the collision.
The bridge opened in 1977 and connects the banks of the Patapsco River. About 11.5 million vehicles cross the Key Bridge, as it is known in the city, each year.
