Key Bridge in Baltimore collapses after large boat collision

[orleans]

Source: wtop news

A portion of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, has collapsed after a large boat collided with it early Tuesday morning.

Reports came in around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday that a large vessel crashed into the bridge, catching on fire before sinking and causing multiple vehicles to fall into the Patapsco River below.



Read more: https://wtop.com/baltimore/2024/03/key-bridge-in-baltimore-collapses-after-hitting-large-boat/

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saw this on twitter first with the video

HOLY CRAP! The Francis Scott Key Bridge has collapsed after a ship collision in Baltimore. The 1,200 feet (366 m) span bridge was the third longest span of any continuous truss in the world.

Link to tweet

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Holy moley! That video! That is just flat unbelievable.

Except it is believable. The local stations (I am in northern Virginia next to DC) will have coverage. I get channel 2 in Baltimore over the air.

Wow. Thanks again.

{My phone thinks that should read "Holy Miley!"}

[love_katz]

2. That looks horrifying.

My hometown has multiple bridges. What horror, to have one collapse like that. Yikes!

[sheshe2]

3. Holy Shit!

The whole bridge just dropped. Goddess help the people that were driving on that bridge.

[riversedge]

4. #BREAKING: Mass Casualty has been Declared after a Large Container Ship Collides with The Francis Scott Key Bridge Causi

#BREAKING: Mass Casualty has been Declared after a Large Container Ship Collides with The Francis Scott Key Bridge Causing it completely Collapse.

Currently, numerous agencies, including the Coast Guard and fire department have just declared a mass casualty incident as they are responding to the Key Bridge located in Baltimore, Maryland. After a large container ship struck the Key Bridge, causing it to collapse completely, there are reports of multiple cars and people may be in the water following the collapse all still missing at this point. Reports indicate significant damage, with half of the bridge submerged in the water. This situation is still developing. #Baltimore #Maryland #KeyBridge

Link to tweet

?s=20




https:/twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1772521655773917645?s=20

[elleng]

5. **Baltimore responding to major incident as cars and pedestrians fall into river.

Baltimore Police say they have been notified of the bridge’s partial collapse and that a number of people are believed to be in the water.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/maryland-baltimore-key-bridge-collapse-latest-news-b2518601.html

[riversedge]

6. " A new close up video of the #FrancisScottKeyBridge collapse.....".....

Eric Feigl-Ding
@DrEricDing
My god this is horrible. A new close up video of the #FrancisScottKeyBridge collapse. I cry as a former Baltimore resident.

Thread 🧵 below.

Link to tweet

?s=20

Link to tweet

?s=20

[BumRushDaShow]

7. OMFG

for anyone on that when it collapsed.

695 is Baltimore's beltway IIRC. That's going to impact not only land vehicle traffic but maritime traffic coming into Baltimore.

Did a quick search and didn't realize that it was a relatively "new" (1977) bridge.

[BWdem4life]

8. ....

[riversedge]

9. "The cargo ship has a breach in the hull, causing it to list to one side, with reports of a strong smell of diesel fuel

R A W S A L E R T S
@rawsalerts
·
52m
🚨#BREAKING: Up to 20 people were on the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore at the time of the collapse. The cargo ship has a breach in the hull, causing it to list to one side, with reports of a strong smell of diesel fuel

Link to tweet

?s=20

[Botany]

30. Washington Post, Ship owners involved in at least 3 deadly events in recent years.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/03/26/baltimore-key-bridge-collapse-maryland/

What happened in Baltimore? Because all ships have to have a local pilot take control of the
ship when it enters the port.

Btw watch how fast President Biden, Mayor Pete, the Governor of Maryland, and the Federal, State,
and Local People get on this problem.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. At least seven vehicles known to have gone into the water

The "sinking" of the ship is just partial, I think - this picture, taken a bit of time after the collision, shows dozens of feet of hull and most of the containers still high up:

https://media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_fit-1240w,f_auto,q_auto:best/rockcms/2024-03/240326-francis-scott-key-bridge-mb-0810-15043e.jpg

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/maryland-bridge-collapse-francis-scott-key-bridge-boat-baltimore-rcna145047

[TexasBushwhacker]

25. Imagine if it had happened during rush hour n/t

[riversedge]

11. Reportedly this is the ship involved -- "The vessel DALI (IMO 9697428, MMSI 563004200) is a Container Ship built in 2015

Reportedly this is the ship involved -- "The vessel DALI (IMO 9697428, MMSI 563004200)
is a Container Ship built in 2015 (9 years old) and currently sailing under the flag of Singapore."
https://vesselfinder.com/?imo=9697428
https://vesselfinder.com/vessels/detail

Link to tweet

?s=20


5) It is believed that collision was caused by a 300 meter long cargo ship from Singapore 🇸🇬 called Dali. It recently visited New York and Norfolk prior to Baltimore, after passing through the Panama Canal. https://vesselfinder.com/vessels/detail

Link to tweet

?s=20

[riversedge]

12. The sun coming up in Baltimore: what is left of the Francis Scott key bridge............

Link to tweet

?s=20

https:/twitter.com/BNONews/status/1772531139573424379?s=20

[riversedge]

13. 🚨🇺🇸UPDATE: POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD AFTER BALTIMORE KEY BRIDGE COLLAPSE-early morning view.........

OSINTdefender
@sentdefender
·
2h
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland which crosses the Patapsco River has reportedly Collapsed within the last few minutes after being Struck by a Large Container Ship; a Mass Casualty Incident has been Declared with over a Dozen Cars and many Individuals said to…
Show more
Image
Billa Bhaiii
@BillaBhaiii
🚨🇺🇸UPDATE: POSSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD AFTER BALTIMORE KEY BRIDGE COLLAPSE

Baltimore City Fire spokesman Kevin Cartwright confirmed that at least one lorry fell into the Patapsco River after the Dali container ship struck it.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge is the only bridge in Baltimore that allows hazardous materials to be transported across it, leading to concerns about a potential environmental hazard.

Source: Baltimore City Fire Dept

Link to tweet

?s=20

[2naSalit]

21. POSSIBLE??

[Igel]

14. Crap. Watched it getting built.

Biked on it before it opened. Grew up 5 minutes from it by car, 10 by bike.

HS girlfriend worked there after graduation. It was new.

Major route. Gonna take a while to rebuild. Yikes.

[riversedge]

15. "The cause of the collision was not immediately clear. The ship appeared to lose power in the minutes before the crash.

- At 1:28 a.m. ET, a large container ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

- Large parts of the bridge immediately collapsed, sending multiple vehicles into the water, including a group of construction workers.

- Rescue workers believe at least 7 construction workers were on the bridge but say the figure could be as high as 20.

- The container ship, the Singapore-flagged Dali, was leaving Baltimore for Sri Lanka. The ship suffered major damage, including a possible breach in the hull.

- The cause of the collision was not immediately clear. The ship appeared to lose power in the minutes before the crash.

- Rescue work is ongoing as of 4:15 a.m.

Link to tweet

?s=20

[LetMyPeopleVote]

16. This bridge collapse is scary

Link to tweet

[LetMyPeopleVote]

17. You can see more now as dawn breaks

Link to tweet

[LetMyPeopleVote]

18. You can see more as dawn breaks

Link to tweet

[brooklynite]

19. On top of everything else, the collapse blocks the entire Port of Baltimore from ocean access.

Huge economic impact.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

20. Expect major rerouting of CSX traffic. NT

[mahatmakanejeeves]

22. Baltimore's Port Handled a Record Amount of Cargo Last Year

Baltimore’s Port Handled a Record Amount of Cargo Last Year

A bridge collapse closed the city’s port, an important trade hub that ranks first in the nation by the volume of automobiles and light trucks it handles.


Shipping containers stacked at the Port of Baltimore in 2022. Julio Cortez/Associated Press

By Jenny Gross
March 26, 2024
Updated 8:35 a.m. ET

The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge has brought the Port of Baltimore, an important trade hub, to a halt. ... The port handled a record amount of cargo last year, making it the 20th biggest port in the nation ranked by total tons, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. It ranks first in the United States for the volume of automobiles and light trucks it handles and for vessels that carry wheeled cargo, including farm and construction machinery, according to a statement by Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland last month.

Around the world, about 40 ships, including 34 cargo vessels, have Baltimore listed as a destination, including 10 commercial ships with anchors dropped in nearby waters, according to MarineTraffic, which tracks ships.

Georgios Hatzimanolis, who analyzes global shipping for MarineTraffic, said he expects the bridge collapse to cause shipping delays. “We do expect there to be a ripple effect, but it’s a bit too early to say what the impact will be,” he said. Ships heading to Baltimore with cargo to unload may instead go to ports in New Jersey or North Carolina, he said.

The port has also increasingly catered to large container ships like the Dali, the 948-foot-long cargo vessel carrying goods for the shipping giant Maersk that hit a pillar of the bridge around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The Dali had spent two days in Baltimore’s port before setting off toward the 1.6-mile Francis Scott Key Bridge.

{snip}

[mahatmakanejeeves]

23. Live Updates: Major Bridge in Baltimore Collapses After Being Struck by Cargo Ship

Updated
March 26, 2024, 8:44 a.m. ET14 minutes ago
14 minutes ago

Live Updates: Major Bridge in Baltimore Collapses After Being Struck by Cargo Ship

The authorities said that two people had been pulled from the water after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday and that a search was underway for “upwards of seven people.”
.
.
March 26, 2024, 8:35 a.m. ET 24 minutes ago
24 minutes ago
Michael D. Shear Reporting from Baltimore

Paul Wiedefeld, Maryland’s transportation secretary, told CNN that it appears there were no injuries onboard the container ship that hit the bridge. He said an investigation into what happened would be conducted after the rescue effort, but he added that the ship seemed to have been off course before the impact and that “obviously it should be in the main channel, which is under that main span.”
.
.

.
.
1 hour ago
1 hour ago
Sarah Eckinger

An aerial view of the bridge shows the extent of the damage. Portions of the collapsed section are visible in the water, with a small span lying across the Dali container ship.

[csziggy]

24. Whoa! This reminds me of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge collapse

In 1980 that bridge collapsed after a freighter hit one of the pylons. Because the two events are so similar, lots of comparisons being made between the two disasters:
https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida/2024/03/26/florida-sunshine-skyway-bridge-disaster-collapse/
https://www.fox13news.com/news/sunshine-skyway-bridge-francis-scott-key-baltimore-tampa-st-pete-florida-pinellas-hillsborough-collapse-boat-freighter

[mahatmakanejeeves]

26. Comment from the Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/2024/03/26/francis-scott-key-bridge-history-baltimore/

James_Allen 6 minutes ago

The Dali Singapore is 3 times the size of the largest container ship when the bridge was built, and the Dali is less than half the size of the largest container ship in the world

[riversedge]

27. Closeup of a Ship hittng the Baltimore bridge. 😱Ship Lost Power Before Hitting Key Bridge in Baltimore

Closeup of a Ship hitting the Baltimore bridge. 😱

Link to tweet

?s=20


Ship Lost Power Before Hitting Key Bridge in Baltimore

Link to tweet

?s=20

[riversedge]

28. 🚨#BREAKING: Morning Daylight reveals the aftermath of the mass casualty event of the Scott Key Bridge collapse 📌

🚨#BREAKING: Morning Daylight reveals the aftermath of the mass casualty event of the Scott Key Bridge collapse

📌#Baltimore | #Maryland

Watch As morning daylight approaches, it reveals the devastating aftermath of an early morning incident after a large cargo ship from Singapore crashed into the Scott Key Bridge, triggering a mass casualty event as the entire bridge complex collapsed. At least seven vehicles, including one tractor-trailer-sized vehicle, have plunged into the water. Two people have been rescued, while seven remain missing. However, officials are uncertain about this figure. Sonar has detected multiple vehicles in the water, with officials stating there was absolutely no indication of an intentional act. Search and rescue efforts are expected to take hours or days to weeks

Link to tweet

?s=20

[RainCaster]

29. That pilot will be held accountable - edit

Last edited Tue Mar 26, 2024, 12:17 PM - Edit history (1)

His life is over, as it should be. The first time that vessel lost power, the pilot should have called the engine room to reverse -stop the engines and dropped the anchors. If it was having such issues before leaving the dock, that's even worse.

A later report from a reliable trade journal gives a more fair assessment of the accident.

Cameras from the Vessel Traffic Service captured footage of the collision and subsequent collapse. The ship’s lights went out twice before the collision, indicating possible issues in the engine room. Despite the quick restoration of lighting, this suggests a full blackout occurred, prompting the emergency generator to restore basic electrical services and lighting.

Without propulsion or tugboats, a ship this size is nearly impossible to stop.

The emergency generator does not connect to propulsion but should support steering and navigation systems but the ships heading appears to have been pushed off course by the wind directly into the support column.

Ships are not required to have tugboat escorts when passing under the Francis Scott Key Bridge so they have limited ability to slow down on their own when they lose power and can not put the propeller into reverse.

This will take a while to sort out. This ship was built in 2015, so it's very new. But it was involved in one other collision in Antwerp Belgium in it's first year of service (2016).

[yankee87]

31. Unreal

Watching the video is unbelievably sad. The ship driving right into the support.

[Bayard]

32. Holy Crap!

Its like the end of the movie, "The Mothman Prophecies."

[The Grand Illuminist]

33. More than meets the eye.

I will just let the investigation run its course.

[Cheezoholic]

34. I don't think that thing had pier protection n/t

[EX500rider]

35. Yeah after the Sunshine Skyway event in 1980 it got some:

Surprised that event didn't cause more bridges to get them

[Cheezoholic]

37. They even added them to the old Cooper River bridge in Charleston

and that Carnival ride was built in 1929.

[bigtime]

38. What a missed opportunity after Tampa

When the Key bridge was only 3 years old, a support pylon on the Sunshine Skyway bridge in Tampa was struck by a ship, causing that bridge to collapse. The replacement Skyway bridge has massive structural dolphins to mitigate this vulnerability.

One might imagine that following the Skyway collapse, bridges in all US port cities should have been evaluated and retrofitted to prevent similar tragedies. But until the current administration, infrastructure spending has been deemed too heavy a lift. More lives lost over anti-spending ideology.

Dolphins or piers would have cost millions of $$ to install, but replacing the bridge will cost billions.

[EX500rider]

39. "Dolphins or piers would have cost millions of $$ to install"

The cost of the Skyway dolphins was $41 million (approximately $90 million in 2017 dollars).
Certainly cheaper then a new bridge.

[BlueMTexpat]

42. Likely b/c Rs fought

infrastructure upgrade bills for as long and as hard as they could!

[Kablooie]

36. Any ships that were in the bay will be blocked from leaving until the debris is cleared.

I assume that bay has a pretty busy shipping industry.

[Mr.Bill]

40. I read today that it is

the 20th largest port in the USA by tonnage. It ranks #1 in the shipping of automobiles.

Get ready for the price of just about everything to go up, just because they can.

[durablend]

41. And Biden to be blamed for it

"Because they can"

[electric_blue68]

43. Woah, how awful! Someone mentioned a tragedy in Baltimore last night without details. ...

I thought it was going to be a mass shooting.

Definitely unexpected!