Amid Baltimore’s landscape, a significant bridge endured a catastrophic rupture subsequent to a colossal container ship colliding with it during the early hours of Tuesday, leading to the descent of numerous vehicles into the river below. Rescue operations were promptly initiated to locate and aid at least seven individuals in the water.
Evidently, the vessel made forceful contact with one of the pillars supporting the Francis Scott Key Bridge, precipitating the fragmentation of the roadway at various points and its subsequent immersion into the river, as depicted in a video shared on X, formerly recognized as Twitter. Subsequently, the ship became engulfed in flames, emitting dense plumes of ebony smoke.
Kevin Cartwright, the Director of Communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, conveyed the urgency of the situation, stating, “This constitutes a dire emergency. Our primary objective presently is to execute the retrieval and rescue of these individuals.” Emergency responders diligently scoured the area for a minimum of seven individuals presumed to be submerged, although Cartwright cautioned against premature estimations regarding the number of casualties. He delineated the incident as an “unfolding mass casualty occurrence.”
Moreover, he indicated the precarious position of certain cargo, evidently suspended from the bridge, which spans the Patapsco River, serving as a pivotal conduit, alongside the Port of Baltimore, for maritime transportation along the Eastern Seaboard. Inaugurated in 1977, the bridge derives its nomenclature from the renowned author of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Reports of the calamity commenced flooding emergency channels around 1:30 a.m., detailing a vessel departing Baltimore colliding with a bridge column, as relayed by Cartwright. At the time of impact, several vehicles, including one of considerable dimensions akin to a tractor-trailer, were traversing the bridge.
Observations from a proximal standpoint near the bridge’s ingress revealed the disheveled remnants of its metallic framework jutting out from the water’s surface, with the access ramp abruptly terminating where the span once commenced.
The vessel implicated in the catastrophe bears the appellation “Dali,” as confirmed by Cartwright. According to Marine Traffic and Vessel Finder, a vessel under such designation was en route from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka, culminating in its intended destination. WTOP radio station, citing Petty Officer Matthew West from the Coast Guard in Baltimore, reported that the vessel was flying the ensign of Singapore.
Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. disseminated updates affirming the deployment of emergency personnel and the initiation of rescue endeavors. “All lanes closed both directions for incident on I-695 Key Bridge. Traffic is being detoured,” as relayed by the Maryland Transportation Authority on X.
Recollections resurface of a preceding calamitous event in 2001 when a freight train laden with hazardous cargo derailed within a downtown Baltimore tunnel, igniting conflagration and releasing noxious fumes into adjacent vicinities, prompting authorities to temporarily seal all major arteries leading into the city.