Devastating bridge disasters around the world
Rescue workers search for survivors following bridge collapse in Baltimore
LIFESTYLE Disaster
In the early hours of Tuesday, March 26, a cargo ship crashed into a column of the Francis Scott Key Bridge at the Port of Baltimore. Large sections of the 1.6-mile (2.57 km) bridge collapsed into the freezing Patapsco River. Sadly, numerous cars were crossing the bridge at the time and were plunged into the water.
Shortly after the accident, a spokesperson for the Baltimore City Fire Department stated that there may be up to 20 people in the water. "This is a mass-casualty, multi-agency event," he told Reuters. "This operation is going to extend for many days." Conditions for rescue workers are reportedly perilous due to poor visibility, freezing temperatures, and objects hanging from the destroyed bridge. Several hours after the crash, the Baltimore fire chief announced that two people had been rescued and brought to hospital, one in serious condition and one uninjured. He narrowed the estimate down to seven people still in the water. Their chance for survival remains unclear.
Click through this gallery to learn about more of the most catastrophic bridge collapses in history.