In the early hours of March 26, 2024, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore experienced a catastrophic collapse. The incident occurred when the MV Dali, a large container ship, lost power and veered off course, colliding with one of the bridge’s support pillars. The impact was so severe that it caused the bridge’s main truss section to snap apart and fall into the Patapsco River, all within a span of about 20 seconds.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge was a continuous, or unjointed, bridge with a 366-meter-long central truss section. This design, while efficient, lacks robustness when a support is removed, leading to the rapid collapse of all three spans of the bridge. Despite the seeming invulnerability of large steel structures, they can fold under sufficient force, much like paper.
At the time of the collapse, a construction crew was working on the bridge, filling potholes. Six of these workers are currently unaccounted for, and a rescue operation is underway. Two other workers were rescued from the water, one of whom is in serious condition at the University of Maryland Medical Center.
The aftermath of the incident has left the port in disarray, with ship traffic stuck on either side of the crash site and a major roadway through Baltimore cut off. The disaster has been declared a “terrible accident” by President Biden, and a state of emergency has been declared by Maryland Governor Wes Moore.
The cause of the power loss on the MV Dali remains unclear. However, the ship’s crew had issued a mayday before the collision, allowing officials to stop traffic onto the bridge. This quick action likely saved lives. Investigations into the incident are ongoing, with further details expected to emerge in the coming days.
read more > www.wired.com