Baltimore Key Bridge collapse live updates: First responders called out to people on bridge, governor says

 Published By Peter Gasper

                The cargo ship struck Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday.

Baltimore bridge collapse timeline: what we know about the incident

The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday morning after a container ship struck a support column. Here’s what we know so far about the incident.

A cargo ship crashed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday morning, causing a near-total collapse of the span and halting vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore.

Six construction workers are believed to have fallen from the collapsing bridge into the frigid waters of the Patapsco River below. The bodies of two of the victims have been recovered so far, while four remain missing and are presumed dead, officials said.

The container ship Dali struck Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge at about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, partially collapsing the bridge, officials in Maryland said.

A local pilot was at the helm of the ship at the time, Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said.

The steel frame of the Francis Scott Key Bridge sits on top of the container ship Dali after the bridge collapsed, Baltimore, March 26, 2024.

The crash appeared to be accidental, not intentional, officials said.

Two construction workers were rescued and six went missing in the immediate aftermath of the collapse, officials said. The bodies of two of the victims were recovered from the water on Wednesday amid ongoing search and recovery efforts, while four remain missing and are presumed dead, officials said.

Collapse could cost as much as $4 billion: DHS

The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge could cost as much as $4 billion, which would make the incident a record shipping insurance loss, according to a new Department of Homeland Security assessment obtained by International  News.

The onramp to the Francis Scott Key Bridge is closed on March 27, 2024 after it collapsed Tuesday when the cargo ship Dali crashed into it in Baltimore.

There are currently seven vessels at anchor awaiting to enter the Port of Baltimore, the document said. Two have been directed to other ports.

Dive operations on Thursday will confirm the ship’s stability and structural integrity so crews can begin to offload the 13 damaged containers, the document said.

NTSB investigators are seen on the cargo vessel Dali on March 27, 2024 which struck and collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge, in Baltimore on Tuesday.

The bulk of the hazardous material is located on the stern. Of the ship's 4,700 containers, 56 hold dangerous goods, but there is no threat to the public, the assessment said.

Two containers went overboard during the collision, but they did not contain hazardous materials, the document said.

Mar 28, 6:32 AM EDT

Survivor saved by first responder's warning just before bridge fell, Gov. Moore says

One of the people on the bridge just before the collapse heard the voice of a first responder calling out for him to move off quickly, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.

"The first responders, who, again, really moved heroically, after the first mayday was called, were able to move to both keep additional cars from coming on the bridge and to begin to notify the workers and people on the bridge they need to move off the bridge," Moore said during a press briefing Wednesday.

The collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, March 27, 2024.

"One of the survivors who I had the opportunity to speak with, one of the things he mentioned to me was as he was moving off of the bridge -- and literally saw the bridge fall right after he moved off -- it was because it was a first responder who was telling him to move off the bridge," Moore said.

That life-saving notification was made "audibly," although other contact between first responders and workers may have been made by cellphone or radio, Moore said.

Mar 28, 5:45 AM EDT

Buttigieg meeting with shipping, supply chain partners Thursday

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg plans to meet on Thursday with shippers and supply chain operators, as his office assesses industry impact.

Buttigieg said the meeting was intended to help the DOT create a "coordinated approach" as it seeks to mitigate the disruptions to one of the East Coast's most active ports.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, left, Coast Guard Deputy Commandant for Operations Vice Admiral Peter Gautier, center, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg participate in a briefing about the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse during a press briefing at the White House, Wednesday, March 27, 2024, in Washington.

"That said, the Port of Baltimore is an important port," Buttigieg said at the White House on Wednesday. "So, for our supply chains and for all the workers who depend on it for their income, we're going to help to get it open as soon as safely possible."

Mar 27, 11:30 PM EDT

NTSB chair confirms some hazmat containers on cargo ship breached

A hazmat investigator looked into the cargo on the container ship and identified 56 containers of hazardous materials, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said Wednesday evening.

The 56 containers hold 764 tons of hazardous materials that include "mostly corrosives, flammables, and miscellaneous Class 9 hazardous materials, which would include lithium-ion batteries," Homendy said.

Some of the hazmat containers had been "breached," and there has been "sheen" seen on the waterway, which state and local authorities are aware of and investigating, according to officials.

Homendy said it wasn't known how many hazardous containers were in the water after the incident.

There were 23 people aboard Dali at the time of the collision, 21 crew members and two pilots, according to the NTSB chair.

During the briefing, Homedy said the data recorders they have access to are considered basic compared to a commercial plane.

The ship's voice data recorder only captured limited information, she said.

The U.S. Coast Guard provided the NTSB with six hours of data between midnight and 6 a.m. ET upon arrival.

Officials said on Wednesday that the quality of audio from the box "varies wildly" because of the high level of background noise, which will have to be filtered out to improve the audio quality.

They expect to recover 30 days of data from the data recorders, she said.

Addressing the collision, the NTSB said that current data points to a power failure, but they have not confirmed that or a possible reason for the likely power failure.

Source-Abcnews