The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, collapsed after a collision with a large container ship early Tuesday morning. Around 1:30 a.m., the ship hit a central column of the bridge on Interstate 695, resulting in a fire and the fall of several vehicles, including a tractor-trailer, into the Patapsco River.
The Maryland Transportation Authority announced the closing on Twitter.
My office is in close communication with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, and the Baltimore Fire Department as emergency personnel are on the scene following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
I have declared a State of Emergency here in Maryland and we are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden Administration.
We are thankful for the brave men and women who are carrying out efforts to rescue those involved and pray for everyone’s safety.
We will remain in close contact with federal, state, and local entities that are carrying out rescue efforts as we continue to assess and respond to this tragedy.
Governor Wes Moore
Rescuers were searching for at least seven people in the water.
The Singapore-flagged container ship, named “Dali,” was responsible for the collision. The ship, which had just left the P{ort of Baltimore, was en route to Colombo, Sri Lanka, according to Marine Traffic and Vessel Finder data.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced that his office is coordinating with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, and the Baltimore Fire Department. He declared a state of emergency to facilitate federal assistance from the Biden administration.
THE Anne Arundel County Fire Department has sent several crews to the scene to assist and the County Executive has been in touch with the Governor and his counterparts in Baltimore City and County.
The FBI’s Baltimore office reported its agents are at the scene with other local, state, and federal partners.
For harbor crossings, alternate routes include:
- Interstate 95/Fort McHenry Tunnel (Maximum height: 14 feet, 6 inches; maximum width: 11 feet)
- Interstate 895/Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (Maximum height: 13 feet, 6 inches; maximum width: 8 feet)
Vehicles carrying hazardous materials, including propane over 10 pounds, are prohibited in the tunnels and should use the western section of I-695.
The Maryland Transportation Authority announced the closure of all lanes on the bridge in both directions due to the incident, with traffic being diverted to Interstates 95 and 895.
