The Baltimore City Fire Department has issued an update regarding the recent bridge collapse in the city.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge - in Baltimore, Maryland - snapped and collapsed after a 948ft container ship crashed into it in the early hours of Tuesday (March 26). The collapse sent several vehicles into the water.
Footage shared on X appeared to show the ship striking one of the bridge's central supports, which caused much of the 1.6-mile bridge to give way as a number of vehicles fell into the river below.
Videos showing the moment the ship collided with the bridge have been circulating on social media:
The vessel apparently caught fire as a section of the Francis Scott Key Bridge appeared to collapse over it, which sent thick, black smoke into the air.
At the time of writing, two people have been rescued. One of the victims is “severely” injured and the other is in critical condition, according to authorities who set up a press conference over the ordeal.
At the time of the collapse, the temperature in the water was about 47 degrees Fahrenheit, per a buoy that collects data for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Shortly after the collapse, the Baltimore Fire Department said it was searching for at least seven people believed to be in the water.
The department went on to add that up to 20 people and a number of vehicles had fallen into the Patapsco River, a situation it deemed to be a “mass casualty event”.
"We are in the midst of managing a mass casualty multi-agency incident here. Unfortunately, we understand that there are up to 20 individuals who may be in the Patapsco river as well as multiple vehicles," Kevin Cartwright of the Baltimore Fire Department told CNN.
Cartwright also stated that the department is working with the US Coast Guard, adding that a team of divers are in the river to carry out the search and rescue operations.
"This happened at 01:30AM 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."
Cartwright confirmed the teams were working "methodically and safely" to make sure "everyone operating here on the scene is safe and that we're able to make progress without causing adverse harm to anyone else."
