Imagine if one of the vitally important bridges linking Washington and Oregon was hit by a big cargo ship and fell into the Columbia River. That is what happened last night in Baltimore, where a disabled ship slammed into the support structure of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing a total collapse of its main section and blocking marine traffic to and from the Port of Baltimore.
The catastrophic incident occurred at 01:28 Eastern Daylight Time today — 22:28 PM Pacific Daylight Time on Monday, March 25th — while much of Maryland was asleep. The container ship Dali, which had just left the Port of Baltimore, crashed into the bridge and knocked it into the river, sending several people and vehicles down into the water below. The ship’s crew had been able to give an advance warning to the authorities in Maryland that a collision was likely imminent minutes before, explaining that the ship had lost power.
The bridge collapse was captured on video. Though it was dark, the catastrophic failure of the structure can be observed following the ship strike. Constructed in the 1970s and opened in 1977, the Francis Scott Key Bridge was a steel arch-shaped continuous-through-truss bridge. It was 1.6 miles long (equivalent to 2.6 kilometers) and carried four lanes of vehicle traffic, facilitating the journeys of an average of more than 11 million vehicles a year, or 31,000 vehicles per day.
Wikipedia contributors have so far summarized the incident as follows:
Dali left the Port of Baltimore at 00:44 EDT on March 26, 2024, bound for Colombo, Sri Lanka. Shortly afterwards, the vessel, which had two pilots embarked, reportedly notified the Maryland Department of Transportation that they had lost control of the vessel and a collision with the bridge was possible, citing a loss of propulsion. A mayday was issued, which allowed traffic crossing the bridge to be halted. The ship’s lights were seen to go out and then come on again some moments later, just prior to the collision. The ship also dropped its anchors as part of emergency procedures. At 01:28, the ship struck a support column of the bridge at a speed of 8 knots. The bridge strike and partial collapse were recorded on video.
The bridge broke apart in several places, leaving sections of it protruding from the water and the roadway’s approaches cut off where the spans began. Dali caught fire, and a section of the bridge came to rest on the tip of its bow, rendering it stationary. A Baltimore City Fire Department spokesperson said vehicles were on the bridge at the time it collapsed, including one that was the “size of a tractor-trailer”. A Maryland Transportation Authority representative on scene told rescuers that at least 20 workers were repairing potholes on the bridge at the time of the collapse. Paul Wiedefeld, the Maryland Secretary of Transportation, said that there were contractors undertaking concrete deck repair on the bridge at the time of the collapse. A resident living near the bridge recalled being awakened by deep rumbling that shook his residence for several seconds following the collapse, which he said “felt like an earthquake.”
Emergency teams began receiving 911 calls at 01:30. The Baltimore Police Department was alerted to the collapse at 01:35. Mayor of Baltimore Brandon Scott said that emergency personnel were on scene and that he was en route to the site. Large-scale rescue and recovery efforts were initiated. The U.S. Coast Guard deployed boats and a helicopter as part of rescue efforts. Rescue divers were also dispatched to search for people who fell in the river. A total of 50 divers divided into eight teams were deployed in rescue efforts.
The National Transportation Safety Board, which is tasked with investigating disasters like these, said it was sending a “go team” to the scene. The first media briefing was scheduled to be held and led by NTSB Board Chair Jennifer Homendy at 11:30 AM Pacific Time, streamed live on YouTube. Homendy will speak from the media staging area set up by the authorities in Dundalk, Maryland.
President Joe Biden addressed reporters at The White House to comment on the bridge collapse, and said he would be asking Congress for funds to cover one hundred percent of the cost of replacing the bridge. The White House press corps also relayed that the President spoke to the following federal, state, and local officials in the aftermath of the bridge collapse:
- Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Department of Transportation
- Governor Wes Moore (MD)
- Senator Ben Cardin (MD)
- Senator Chris Van Hollen (MD)
- Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07)
- Mayor Brandon M. Scott, Baltimore, MD
- Johnny Olszewski, Executive of Baltimore County, MD
One of the biggest questions we don’t know the answer to right now is why the Dali lost power. This will undoubtedly be a major focus of the NTSB’s probe. Investigators will probably also consider whether the bridge could have better protected from the threat of ship strike.
The catastrophe is a double whammy for Baltimore. It has jeopardized operations at one of the nation’s busiest cargo ports and wrecked a vital highway crossing, which will increase congestion and lengthen commute times. Some trucks carrying hazardous cargoes can’t use the tunnels that would otherwise be the logical alternate routes, and will face long detours.
“For 47 years, that bridge on the southeast side of the Baltimore Beltway has been an iconic landmark, not just as a way to skirt Baltimore’s often congested harbor tunnels or a convenience for tractor-trailers serving the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore, but for its extraordinary view of the bustling port and the tidal waters of both the river and the Chesapeake Bay far to the east,” wrote the editorial board of The Baltimore Sun, the city’s newspaper of record.
“To watch it collapse so quickly, as captured on a now well-circulated video, is both shocking and yet emblematic of our social media-driven online video sharing age. Of course, the world would see this disaster within minutes of its unfolding — long before explanations could be offered or even victims accounted for.”
“There are many questions to be answered in the days ahead,” the board added. “The hows and whys and what-ifs that inevitably follow an apparent accident involving an enormous ship veering so far off course. We will grieve for the victims, offer comfort to their families and soon direct ourselves to the important task of returning vessel traffic to the port, which handles $74 billion in cargo annually and is responsible for more than 15,000 direct jobs.”
“It would be difficult to overstate the port’s importance to the local economy. After victims are accounted for and investigators have completed their duties — but long before officials face the arduous and potentially costly labor of rebuilding or replacing the bridge — there is the daunting task of clearing the debris and reopening the shipping channel.”
As mentioned above, the first NTSB media briefing is scheduled for 11:30 PDT. Readers interested in learning more about the bridge collapse may want to tune in then (or watch on demand after) to hear what Board Chair Homendy and the investigating team have to say.
NPI urges Congress to take up President Biden’s request to appropriate one hundred percent of the funds that will be needed to clear the shipping channel and rebuild the bridge.
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