Posted on 03/26/2024 5:26:30 AM PDT by Morgana
Rescue workers in Baltimore are working furiously in an attempt to save the lives of dozens of people who were plunged into the frigid waters of the Patapsco River when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after being hit by a container ship.
Initial reports indicate that at least a dozen cars hit the 47 degree water in addition to a 20 or so construction workers who were working on the bridge at the time. The workers were pouring concrete on to the bridge at the time of crash.
At the first press conference around 6:30 am, Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace could only confirm that two people were pulled from the water. One was unhurt, the other had to be rushed to a local hospital with 'serious injuries.'
Wallace said that workers are looking for 'upwards of seven' people but that the number of missing could change as the collapse is a 'very large incident.' The chief called the efforts a 'search and rescue' operation.
At the same press conference, the White House ruled out terrorism as relating to the cause of the crash.
The rescue effort incorporates Coast Guard ships, local police boats, Baltimore's Fire Department, volunteer fire departments from the surrounding areas as well as teams of divers as the desperate search for survivors goes on.
There appeared to be an explosion on the container ship as it collided with the bridge sending container and diesel flooding into the water. One of the vehicles that fell to the water was a tractor-trailer.
The ship involved is the 948 foot long Dali, a Singaporean-flagged container which could be seen on ship tracking websites positioned stationary under the bridge following the crash.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Secretary Pillow Biter is on the scene. All is well.
Hyper suspicious! But the gubmint will tell us the truth / sarc.
This video highlights that the ship lost power twice just before impact
Apparently they radioed that they lost control so I assume it started before this
Ship That Collided With Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore had Power Issues just before impact
The I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis comes to mind for me locally. Horrifying stuff.
“...At the same press conference, the White House ruled out terrorism as relating to the cause of the crash...”
I call BS on that! JUST tell us the ship’s registry. That will determne if it’s terrorism or not.
It’s a rather high bridge. Falling from it into the water ... I don’t think your chances are very good. And the water is cold. Prayers for all involved.
Thoughts here on the collapse ...
Span between bridge supports seem much wider than the ship coming through.
Ship this size needs a very deep channel, dredging.
Was the dredged channel the entire wide between the bridge supports? Or is part of the channel deeper and maybe one side of the channel?
Dredging requires lots of approvals and environmental permits. Were they protecting animals and fish life in the harbor and only dredged the channel nearer one of the support pullers ?
Is Baltimore like Charleston harbor with buried history that was/is being protected limiting dredging?
If ship was able to navigate in center of channel between supports, would this have fallen? Would there have been more time to remedy a failed engine?
Yes. Wouldn’t surprise me if this killed 30-40 people between cars and construction workers.
I watched that collapse video. Horryifying.
Gawd Almighty! The bridge collapsed like a house of cards. This is really bad. Fortunately it did not happen at rush hour.
There are only two thoughts...speed up to hit it...or sped up to miss it.
The ships owner said, “There was no pollution.” That’s funny. He’s convinced that is Americas biggest concern. He might be right.
How many hours will pass before this incident becomes the “Republicans Fault?” I say 12 hours. The press will figure something out. They always do.
To prevent this sort of accident there is generally an abutment in place for any large ship to hit without actually hitting anything vital. Older bridges may not have such an abutment but would be retrofitted.
I will predict that there were plans (of many years) to add such an abutment but the city/state never could find the funds for one.
Not an expert, just an opinion.
He’ll be drooling about bridges being racist.
Very cold and I have to wonder if the captain of that ship was blind stinking drunk to have had to hit that bridge the way he did.
Yes I did too. This is truly disastrous.
How long until they blame it on Climate Change?
BTTT
So, now that THEY mention it, who is the Captain, where is he from, and frankly is he a muslim?
Same for the Navigator, Executive Ossifer, and whomever else might have been in charge at the time.
No terrorists. Just stupid in action.
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