NAfter the collapse of a 2.5 kilometer long bridge in Baltimore, which was rammed by a container ship early on Tuesday morning, the governor of the American state of Maryland, Wes Moore, has declared a state of emergency. As a video of the accident shows, the almost 300-meter-long Dali crashed into a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge around 1:30 a.m.
The recording also shows how large parts of the metal structure fell into the Patapsco River. According to initial estimates, at least 20 construction workers who were renewing the road surface on the bridge and several drivers in their cars or trucks fell into the water, which was around eight degrees cold. In the first hours after the bridge collapsed, at least two people were rescued from the Patapsco River with serious injuries, and six construction workers were missing.
The coast guard, police and fire brigade continued to search for survivors on Tuesday with ships and divers. Force spokesman Kevin Cartwright called the accident a “developing incident with many casualties.” Several containers that got caught on the remains of the bridge made rescue attempts more difficult.
Power is said to have gone out
As the emergency services have so far reconstructed, the container ship, which was flying the Singapore flag, left the port of Baltimore shortly after midnight. Almost an hour later, the Dali rammed the bridge pillar for reasons unknown. The video footage shows smoke rising from the ship shortly before the impact. In addition, the power on the Dali is said to have failed at least twice in the seconds before the accident. According to the trade service Trade Winds, the crew of the container ship was uninjured. Which cargo the Dali had loaded remained unclear for the time being. She was reportedly on her way to Sri Lanka, which she was supposed to reach in four weeks.
The bridge, named after the poet and author of the American national anthem “Star Spangled Banner”, Francis Scott Key, was opened 47 years ago. It was one of three toll plazas at the Port of Baltimore, one of the busiest ports in the United States. “The Key Bridge,” as the steel structure was called, also carried the four-lane I-695 highway over the Patapsco River. Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said on Tuesday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has now opened an investigation into the bridge collapse. The investigators found no evidence of a terrorist attack.
The White House also confirmed that it had found no “nefarious intentions.” “Our thoughts are with the families of the people who have been missing since the terrible incident,” said a spokesman. American President Joe Biden will be kept informed about the rescue operation. Biden himself promised federal aid at a press conference in the White House on Tuesday evening, according to German time. He also announced that he wanted to ensure that the costs of reconstruction were borne entirely by the federal government. Biden promised Maryland Gov. Wes Moore to take every step to rebuild the bridge and reopen the Port of Baltimore, which lies just beyond the Francis Scott Key Bridge, “as quickly as humanly possible.”
According to US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the collapse of the car bridge in Baltimore also has economic consequences. Because of the importance of the port behind it, we are already preparing for supply chain problems “that we know will come,” said Buttigieg on Tuesday afternoon (local time) at a press conference on site. These would not only affect the region around Baltimore , “but the entire US economy.”
The disaster reminded many Americans of the collapse of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay, Florida, 44 years ago. At that time, a freighter caused parts of the bridge to collapse when it went out of control during high winds and hit a pier. 35 people, including the passengers of a coach, were killed in the accident.
After the accident in Baltimore on Tuesday, some observers noticed that the container ship had made an unusually wide arc before hitting the pier. They also pointed out on social media that the Dali's control system would also have failed in the event of a possible power interruption.
Gov. Wes Moore confirmed in a news conference Tuesday morning that there was a problem with the power, according to crews. The preliminary investigation indicates an accident. The crew of the container ship sent out an emergency signal shortly before the collision, thanks to which officials were able to stop traffic so that more cars did not get onto the bridge. “These people are heroes. You saved lives last night,” he said.
Citing a government official, ABC television also reported a “drive failure.” “The vessel notified the Maryland Department of Transportation that it had lost control and a collision with the bridge was possible,” the station quoted a report from the Department of Cyber Security and Infrastructure as saying.
#Bridge #collapsed #Baltimore #Buttigieg #warns #economic #consequences