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The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed early Tuesday morning after being struck by a large ship. The moment before the collapse is shown on the left.
CNN
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At least seven rescuers are at work in the Patapsco River after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed overnight, sending multiple vehicles into the river, a Baltimore Fire Department spokesperson told The Associated Press. A search is underway.
The bridge collapsed early Tuesday after a collision with a large ship, according to footage obtained by CNN.
Kevin Cartwright, director of public affairs for the Baltimore Fire Department, told The Associated Press that around 1:30 a.m. ET, the local agency received a 911 call reporting a boat sailing out of Baltimore had struck a bridge pillar. Reported.
“This is a dire emergency,” he said. “Our focus now is to try to rescue and rehabilitate these people.”
The Maryland Department of Transportation said all traffic was being diverted and it was unclear whether anyone was injured. CNN has reached out to the Baltimore City Fire Department for additional information.
Cartwright called the collapse “an ongoing mass casualty event.”
He said there appears to be “some cargo and holding equipment hanging on the bridge,” making the situation dangerous and unstable for cautious emergency responders.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said: social media posts At around 3 a.m., he was on his way to an “incident” on the bridge. He added: “Paramedics have arrived at the scene and a response is underway.”
Video of the crash shows the towering boat heading directly into one of the bridge's supports before slamming into it, causing a huge section of the bridge to crash into the water below in just a few seconds. The impact immediately caused the collapse of an adjacent section of the bridge.
The crash sent large smoke and flames into the air, and part of the bridge appeared to collapse at the front of the boat, according to video footage. Black smoke continued to rise into the air for several minutes.
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Footage of the aftermath of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.
The 2.6-mile, four-lane bridge spans the Patapsco River and is the outermost intersection of the Port of Baltimore and serves as a critical link to Interstate 695 or the Baltimore Loop.
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Its namesake, Francis Scott Key, is believed to have witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814, sat near the site of the bridge, and was inspired to write the words “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
