Baltimore Bridge collapse leaves the country reeling

Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key bridge collapsed on March 26 after a cargo ship struck a pillar,

leaving two injured, three bodies recovered, and three people still missing and presumed dead.

At around 1:30 a.m. that morning, a container ship departing the Port of Baltimore lost power and struck a pillar, which caused the bridge to collapse. This incident has caused massive delays and the deployment of search parties. The catastrophic event was captured on video leading to much online speculation. 

According to authorities, the crew onboard the ship was able to issue a mayday call moments before colliding with the bridge so that traffic could be diverted, saving countless lives. 

However, a pothole repair crew of eight were on the bridge the moment it collapsed. Two have been reported to have survived, one with injuries. Donation pages dedicated to the workers affected by the bridge collapse have been established. 

Port and road traffic are affected by delays although reroutes are already being discussed such as trucks, rail, and tunnels for other methods of transporting containers to their destinations.

The disaster has since gone viral on social media, with users saying the event is something “straight out of a horror movie.” For example, the film “Final Destination 5” was trending on X following the collapse as users pointed out similarities and the surreal nature of the bridge collapsing.

This event is not the first of its kind as back in May 1980, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa, Fla. was struck and a large portion collapsed, which resulted in 35 fatalities.

On April 5, President Biden visited the site. He expressed his grief and condolences to the families of the repair crew and everyone affected. 

He pledged federal support in the clean-up and rebuilding of the bridge. 

“Your nation has your back,” Biden stated. 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is managing bridge debris removal, and there are currently many talks about how to approach a clean-up operation. However, no timeline or cost estimate for clearing is available at this time.