Baltimore Bridge Collapses After Large Ship Collision, 7 People And Several Vehicles Fall Into The River

A key bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, USA collapsed today into a river after being struck by a container ship, causing at least seven people and several vehicles to fall into the river.

A Baltimore City Fire Department spokesperson said the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River after being hit by the container ship in the early hours of the morning on Tuesday (March 26).

According to the BBC, there is currently a multi-agency rescue operation on the scene. It is not currently clear if there have been any casualties. 

At around 01:30 am local time, a bypasser reportedly called 911, the American emergency telephone number, reporting an incident in the Francis Scott Key Bridge area.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland, USA collapsed after being struck by a container ship

Image credits: HaywerdJablomi

It is an area that spans the Potomac River connecting the Rosslyn neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, with the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. 

Chief Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore City Fire Department told the BBC that the bridge had been struck by “a large vessel” causing it to collapse into the Patapsco River.

He said that “as many as seven individuals and several vehicles” have fallen into the river.

Footage has been taken showing the moment “a large vessel” struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge

Image credits: HaywerdJablomi

The Maryland Transport Authority reportedly confirmed that all lanes have been closed in both directions due to an “incident” on the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the US city of Baltimore.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has since expressed that he was aware of the accident and that he was currently in contact with local authorities.

Scott said: “I’m aware of and en route to the incident at the Key Bridge… Emergency personnel are on scene, and efforts are underway.”

As of Tuesday 08:47 CET, there were no reports of casualties after the bridge collapsed, but seven people and several vehicles were reported to have fallen into the river.

There has not been any reported casualty so far, but several people and vehicles have fallen into the river

#BREAKINGNEWS #maryland #baltimore #Keybridge collapses after contact with cargo ship pic.twitter.com/A1LmKwZxkX

— Hayward Jablomi (@HaywerdJablomi) March 26, 2024

Footage has been taken showing the moment “a large vessel” struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the Baltimore Fire Department reportedly said.

There is now an ongoing multi-agency rescue operation being led by the fire department, collaborating with the US Coastguard and other Maryland agencies.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge is a historic 1.6-mile (2.6-km) bridge that spans the Potomac River, connecting the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., with the Rosslyn neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia.

It is said to be the longest in Baltimore, and the world’s third-longest continuous truss bridge, according to the National News.