State of Emergency declared in Baltimore as bridge collapses

Investigation into the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge underway

By Jason Cohen

Democratic Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland on Tuesday shed light on events surrounding a section of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsing in the early morning after a container ship struck it.

The section tumbled down into the Patapsco River below after the collapse, with several cars falling into the water, and authorities attempting to rescue several individuals. Officials saved lives by stopping traffic on the bridge as the ship crew issued a mayday while it lost power, Moore asserted during a press conference.

“Our response teams are doing everything in our power to rescue and recover the victims of this collapse literally as we speak,” Moore said at the press conference.

While the investigation is still ongoing, evidence points to it being an accident rather than a terrorist attack, officials said at the press conference. They asserted there are no individuals in cars in the water.

There are still efforts to rescue individuals in the water, with two rescued and six unaccounted for, who are construction workers, according to officials at the press conference. One of the rescued is in the hospital while one is not.

Construction crews were conducting repairs on the bridge as the ship hit it, Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said in an earlier press conference. Water temperature was 47 degrees at the time of the collapse.

Moore declared a state of emergency following the collapse.