Bridge collapses after being hit by ship, in the USA
A bridge collapsed after being hit by a cargo ship in the city of Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States. The accident happened in the early hours of Tuesday (26) and was caught on a monitoring camera. Watch above.
Firefighters reported that they are searching for at least seven people who had fallen into the river. There is still no information about injuries. Authorities also stated that several vehicles traveling along the road fell into the water.
“Our focus now is trying to rescue and recover these people. It’s a dire emergency,” Baltimore Fire Department communications director Kevin Cartwright told the AP.
According to “The New York Times”, the cargo ship involved in the accident is from Singapore and was destined for Sri Lanka.
The Maryland Transportation Authority reported that traffic was interrupted in the region of the bridge, known as Francis Scott Key. The road is an important connection between two points in the city, crossing the Patapsco River.
Opened in 1977, the bridge is almost 3 kilometers long. The project was budgeted at around US$100 million. The structure also has a lift bridge and is close to the port of Baltimore.
The bridge is named after the author of the poem that gave rise to the United States anthem. According to scholars, Francis Scott Key wrote the verses after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry, in 1814, in the Baltimore region.
City Mayor Brandon M. Scott said emergency teams are at the scene.
