Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed after a large ship hit

The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed today in the early morning after being hit by a large ship. Francis Scott Key Bridge which collapsed in Baltimore is a 1.6-mile, 4-lane bridge, that runs across the Patapsco River.

The key bridge serves as the outermost crossing of the Baltimore Port. It is an important part of Interstate 695 (I-695) or the Baltimore Beltway. Interstate 695 is a 51.59-mile-long beltway highway that runs across Baltimore, Maryland.

According to the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA), they have diverted all traffic on the I-695 bridge due to the collapse.

MAJOR BALTIMORE TRAFFIC ALERT: AVOID I-695 southeast corridor. I-695 Key Bridge collapse due to ship strike. Active scene. Use I-95 or I-895. #baltraffic #mdtraffic
— MDTA (@TheMDTA) March 26, 2024

Several vehicles running on the Bridge fell into the Patapsco River after the collision of a large container ship with a bridge. According to the Baltimore Fire Department, at least seven individuals are in the river. Rescue efforts are underway at the collapse site.

Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the fire department stated Baltimore was dealing with a developing mass casualty incident. The emergency 911 calls related to the incident began at 1:30 a.m. when public members reported a ship leaving Baltimore Port had struck a bridge pillar.

'Right now it's believed that we have 7 individuals in the river.'

Kevin Cartwright from the Baltimore City Fire Department says they have a 'mass casualty, multi-agency rescue' underway.

A Baltimore bridge has entirely collapsed into the Patapsco River after being hit by a… pic.twitter.com/W0EXfxdksu
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) March 26, 2024

Kevin also said several vehicles including one the size of a tractor-trailer were on the bridge at the time of the collision. Hence, their focus is right now to save and recover victims. It is too early for them to report how many people have been affected or any death rate.

According to Kevin some cargo or vehicles hanging from the bridge result in dangerous and unstable conditions. Emergency teams are proceeding with caution. So, this is a serious emergency.

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However, multiple footage published on social media showed a massive cargo ship smashing into one of the bridge’s support pillars forcing it to fall into the river.

According to the aircraft tracking website FlightRadar24, a large part of the Francis Scott Key bridge is now underwater. Meanwhile, the Maryland State Police helicopter is circling the crash site.

The name of this bridge derives from Former US Attorney General, Francis Scott Key. Hence, he appeared to have sat near the site of the bridge to watch the shelling of Fort McHenry in 1814. It dates back to the historic event when the British Navy began a 24-hour bombardment on Fort McHenry in Maryland.