The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed last night after being hit by a container ship, sending an unknown number of vehicles into the Patapsco River.
The bridge carries I-695 and is a key part of the Baltimore Beltway and is now closed to traffic.
The Maryland Highway department is urging drivers to use I-95 and I-895 as detours. The Key Bridge carries 11 million vehicles per year and will likely lead to gridlock in the Baltimore region as drivers use alternate routes.
The Coast Guard and local police are on scene and attempting to rescue and locate any survivors.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore has declared a state of emergency and released the following statement:
My office is in close communication with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, and the Baltimore Fire Department as emergency personnel are on the scene following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
I have declared a State of Emergency here in Maryland and we are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden Administration.
We are thankful for the brave men and women who are carrying out efforts to rescue those involved and pray for everyone’s safety.
We will remain in close contact with federal, state, and local entities that are carrying out rescue efforts as we continue to assess and respond to this tragedy.
