Washington, March 26: Chaos ensued in the US city of Baltimore as the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday following a collision with a large ship, prompting local authorities to initiate a frantic rescue operation for at least seven individuals.
A video shared on various platforms captured the dramatic moment when a massive vessel rammed into the bridge, igniting a blaze before sinking into the Patapsco river, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Maryland Transportation Authority swiftly responded, announcing the closure of all lanes in both directions on I-695 Key Bridge, with traffic rerouted to alternative routes.
Kevin Cartwright, communication director of the Baltimore Fire Department, disclosed that emergency teams were scouring the waters for the missing individuals, as reported by the Associated Press. The incident unfolded around 1:30 a.m. local time, with multiple distress calls indicating a ship outbound from Baltimore had collided with a bridge pillar, triggering its collapse while vehicles were traversing the bridge, Cartwright elaborated.
The catastrophic event has prompted a massive mobilization of resources as authorities race against time to rescue those trapped or stranded amidst the wreckage.
Keywords: Bridge collapse, Baltimore, ship collision, rescue operation, Francis Scott Key Bridge, Baltimore Fire Department, Maryland Transportation Authority.
