Bridge In Baltimore, US Collapses After Being Hit By Cargo Ship

The Key Bridge, a 3km-long structure in Baltimore, Maryland, collapsed into the water following a collision with a cargo ship, the BBC reported. The incident, which occurred around 1.30am local time, involved cars and a large tractor-trailer on the bridge before its collapse. A spokesperson for the Baltimore City Fire Department has confirmed that it is a "mass casualty event."

Videos posted online captured the moment the bridge crumpled and fell into the water. The Baltimore City Fire Department, currently at the scene, reported that up to 20 people and several vehicles have fallen into the river. There is a possibility that workers were in the water after the collapse, according to Baltimore's city police.

Baltimore's mayor, Brandon Scott, was en route to the scene and stated that he had been in contact with the Baltimore fire chief and Maryland Governor Wes Moore. Emergency personnel are on the scene, and efforts are underway.

Maryland Transportation Authority advised the public of the bridge collapse due to a ship strike, urging the use of I-95 or I-895 and diverting traffic along the interstate or through the harbour tunnel.

The bridge was struck by the Singapore-flagged Dali container ship, a 300m-long vessel en route to Colombo, Sri Lanka, as reported by the BBC. The Dali departed from the Port Breeze terminal around 12:45am ET (4:45am GMT) and became stationary at the site of the bridge 45 minutes later.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge, also known as the Key Bridge, is part of the 695 highway that encircles Baltimore. The shipping company Synergy Marine Group confirmed that its ship Dali collided with a pillar of the bridge. While the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined, the ship has mobilised its Qualified Individual Incident response service. All crew members are safe, and there are no reports of injuries at this time.