Facts about Baltimore Bridge Collapse

Early Tuesday, a massive cargo ship plowed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the 1.6-mile structure to crumble like a pile of toothpicks and plunging cars and people into the frigid water below. A Coast Guard official presumed six people dead, as announced at a news conference Tuesday evening.

After the ship sent out a mayday call, which, according to Maryland's governor, saved lives, authorities stopped people from using the bridge. One of the busiest ports on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard may not reopen for some time.

Facts

• Cargo ship lost power and struck Francis Scott Key Bridge.
• Bridge collapsed within a minute of impact.
• 6 construction workers are presumed dead, while 2 were rescued.
• All 22 crew members aboard the cargo ship were Indian and are safe.
• The crew was guided by 2 locally trained and licensed pilots.
• An urgent "Mayday" signal was issued by the crew, helping to save many lives.
• Traffic was halted before the ship collided with the bridge, preventing further casualties.
• Maryland Governor commended the crew members as heroes for their actions that saved numerous lives.

Why did the bridge collapse?

Officials said that shortly before 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, a Singaporean-flagged container vessel named DALI struck a pillar of the 47-year-old bridge.

Clay Diamond, executive director and general counsel of the American Pilots Association, told CNN that the local pilot of the ship "did everything he could have done" to slow the ship and prevent it from drifting toward the bridge.

"Diamond said, 'The ship experienced a total blackout just minutes before reaching the bridge. He added that the loss of both engine power and electrical power resulted in a complete blackout," he indicated. "The pilot did 'everything possible' to slow down the ship and prevent it from drifting towards the bridge, to the right."

Video of the 95,000 gross ton ship approaching the bridge shows lights on the vessel going off then turning back on – likely due to an emergency generator activating after the initial blackout – but the ship’s engines never got running again, according to Diamond.

Facts about Baltimore Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse

1. 1.6-mile long four-lane span
2. Part of I-695 and crosses the Patapsco River
3. Designated as a hazardous material truck route (3A)
4. Approximately 11.5 million vehicles cross the bridge annually, averaging about 30,000 per day
5. Baltimore Harbor ranks as the second-largest seaport in the Mid-Atlantic region
6. The bridge was undergoing maintenance but remained open to traffic
7. Construction of the bridge began in 1972, and it was opened on March 23, 1977
8. Named after Francis Scott Key, author of "The Star-Spangled Banner"
9. The construction cost of the bridge was $110 million
10. The vertical clearance of the bridge is 185 feet

What impact could this have?

Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld announced that they have suspended all ship traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore until further notice, although they still allow trucks into the port.

Last year, a record 52.3 million tons of foreign cargo worth $80 billion were handled by the port, as stated by the state. Furthermore, more than 444,000 passengers cruised from the port in 2023, in addition to the cargo.

The port serves as a major East Coast hub for shipping. The bridge spans the Patapsco River, which massive cargo ships use to reach the Chesapeake Bay and eventually the Atlantic Ocean.

According to data from Marine Traffic, the Dali was flying under a Singapore flag, heading from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka.

President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that he plans to go to Baltimore "as quickly as I can", and he anticipates that the federal government will cover all costs to rebuild the bridge.

How often does this happen?

According to a 2018 report from the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure, ship or barge collisions caused 35 major bridge collapses worldwide from 1960 to 2015, killing a total of 342 people.

In a 2002 incident among them, a barge struck the Interstate 40 bridge over the Arkansas River at Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, causing vehicles to plunge into the water. The incident resulted in the death of fourteen people and injuries to eleven others.

In 2001, a tugboat and barge hit the Queen Isabella Causeway in Port Isabel, Texas, which made a section of the bridge fall 80 feet into the bay below. This incident killed eight people.

A towboat pushed barges in dense fog and hit the Big Bayou Canot railroad bridge near Mobile, Alabama, displacing it in 1993. Minutes later, an Amtrak train carrying 220 people derailed on the displaced bridge, resulting in the death of 47 people and injuring 103 others.

Keep Reading

Big win for Hasdeo Andolan: Govt told SC, Fresh mines not needed

Hasdeo Forest is in Danger, Chipko movement begins to save it

Loutolim village in Goa protesting against amendment in forest conservation act 1980

India’s ministry of Power issues viability gap funding guidelines for battery storage

Follow Ground Report for Environmental News From India. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Koo App, Instagram, Whatsapp and YouTube. Write us on [email protected] and subscribe our free newsletter. 

Don’t forget to check out our climate glossary, it helps in learning difficult environmental terms in simple language.