Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early Tuesday morning after a support column was struck by a vessel, sending cars and at least one tractor-trailer into the Patapsco River.
A spokesperson for the Baltimore City Fire Department said a major rescue operation was underway with all lanes closed and with all traffic being rerouted from the 1.6-mile steel bridge that is part of Interstate 695.
“The entire bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River,” said Kevin Cartwright, the director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department.
“We have reason to believe that there were vehicles and possibly a tractor-trailer” that went into the water, Cartwright said.
He said authorities were searching for at least seven people in the water as of 3 a.m. but the number of vehicles that may have been impacted or traveling on the bridge is unknown.
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