Breaking: Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapses Following Ship Collision

A large ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday morning, obliterating it.

The Maryland Transportation Authority reported all traffic being diverted, with uncertainty regarding injuries.

Mayor of Baltimore Brandon Scott tweeted about the incident in the wee hours, telling his followers that emergency personnel were on location there, set to right the situation.

Video evidence suggested that the ship was all set to bang into the support of the bridge just before the rapid collapse of the vessel, which left a substantial portion of the bridge below the water. The adjacent portions of the bridge also caved in due to the collision.

As parts of the bridge caved over the boat, there was an expanse of huge streams of smoke and fire gushing out from the force of the collision. The 1.6-mile bridge, with an expanse of 4-lanes, forms a key link on Interstate 695 and the Baltimore Beltway to the Patapsco River.

The Chief of the Baltimore City Fire Department, James Wallace, said there were at least seven people missing in the water after the ships collided. Two survivors, one in serious condition, were picked during the rescue operation. The Maryland Governor, Wes Moore, also declared the incident a state of emergency, just like everything the coastguards had to order—the search and rescue with them through the use of boats and a helicopter. Officials are trying to contact the operators of the vessel to assess and come up with the cause of the incident. Safety agencies give priority to the teams involved in the event.