The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, United States, collapsed early Tuesday morning after being hit by a large cargo ship.
Footage obtained by CNN showed how sections of the 1.6 mile-long (about two kilometres) four-lane bridge buckled inwards. The bridge sheared away from the rest of the structure before plunging into the darkness of the water.
The Baltimore City Fire Department declared the accident a “mass casualty event.” This is because up to 20 people and several vehicles fell into the river.
According to Kevin Cartwright, the fire department’s director of communications, the department’s primary focus right now is “trying to rescue and recover these people”.
He said it appears there are “some cargo or retainers hanging from the bridge.” This, he said created unsafe and unstable conditions, and that emergency service workers are operating cautiously as a result.
Cartwright added:
“This is a dire emergency.”
“This happened at 01:30 a.m. with limited visibility so we are working aggressively, considering the environmental temperatures as well as the water temperatures to try and rescue and perhaps recover individuals,” Cartwright said.
“It feels like at least about 30 degrees (-1°C) where I am. It could be slightly lower than that. And I’m sure that the water temperature is even colder… And that can pose a concern and risk for our divers.”
The Maryland Transport Authority reported that all lanes on Interstate 695, which runs across the bridge, have been closed and traffic is being rerouted.
The bridge, named after the author of the US national anthem “The Star-Spangled Banner,” opened in 1977.
Francis Scott Key is thought to have sat near the bridge and witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814. This inspired him to write the words to the country’s anthem.