Devendra Kumar
Engineers carefully cut and lift the first section of twisted steel from the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which crumpled into the Patapsco River after a cargo ship crashed into one of its supports. The process is intricate, requiring teams to measure and cut the steel from the broken bridge before attaching straps to remove it on a barge and then float it away. The operation is complicated by the fact that the bridge’s collapse has blocked the shipping channel and the Port of Baltimore in Maryland.
The bridge’s collapse has also hindered efforts to search for four missing workers who are presumed dead, with divers unable to access the site due to the unstable conditions created by the wreckage. Two workers were rescued from the water in the hours following the collapse, and the bodies of two more were recovered from a truck that fell and was submerged in the river. The victims were construction workers from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador who were filling potholes on the bridge at the time of the collapse.
Police were able to stop vehicle traffic crossing the bridge after the ship called in a mayday, but were unable to reach the construction workers. The crew of the cargo ship Dali, which is managed by Synergy Marine Group, remains on board the ship, which is now part of the debris from the bridge. They are being interviewed about the accident and are keeping the ship running, as it will be needed to get it out of the channel once more debris has been removed.
Federal and state investigators are still trying to determine why the collision and collapse appeared to be an accident that occurred when the ship lost power. Environmental experts have said there is no indication in the water of active releases from the ship or materials hazardous to human health.
As officials work to determine the cause of the accident, they are also trying to figure out how to handle the economic impact of a closed port and the severing of a major road link. Maryland transportation officials are planning to rebuild the bridge, promising to consider innovative designs or building materials to hopefully shorten a project that could take years. The US president’s administration has approved $60 million in immediate aid and promised the federal government will pay the full cost of rebuilding the bridge.
The loss of a road that carried 30,000 vehicles a day and the port disruption will affect not only thousands of dockworkers and commuters, but also US consumers, who are likely to feel the impact of shipping delays. The port handles more cars and more farm equipment than any other US facility, making it a crucial part of the country’s supply chain. As officials work to rebuild the bridge and restore the port to full operation, they are also mindful of the need to minimize the impact of the accident on the economy.