The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore is a "developing mass casualty event," a representative for the Baltimore Fire Department said on Tuesday morning.
Kevin Cartwright, the communications director for the Baltimore Fire Department, gave a statement on the incident in an interview with the Associated Press on Tuesday morning.
Cartwright told the AP that several vehicles, including one that was as large as a tractor-trailer truck, had been on the bridge at the time. At least seven people are believed to be in the water, per Cartwright.
"This is a dire emergency. Our focus right now is trying to rescue and recover these people," Cartwright told the AP.
The bridge collapsed on Tuesday morning after it was struck by what appeared to be a large cargo ship. In a video posted on X, the bridge's structure was seen crumbling after a large vessel appeared to collide with one of the bridge's support beams.
BI viewed a livestream of the incident, which showed the collision happening at around 1:28 a.m., local time.
According to the live stream, as of 4.39 a.m., some three hours after the collapse, the wreckage of the bridge was seen partially submerged in the water. The ship did not appear to have sunk.
A spokesman for the US Coast Guard (USCG) confirmed to the Baltimore Sun that a 948-foot-long ship had collided with the bridge. At 2:50 a.m. local time, the Dali, a Singapore-flagged container ship, was seen remaining stationary under the bridge. Vessel-tracking data also showed the ship surrounded by what appeared to be several Coast Guard search and rescue vessels.
"USCG has deployed three response boats, and pollution responders are en route," Petty Officer First Class Matthew West told NBC News.
The Dali left Baltimore at 1 a.m. and was initially bound for Colombo, Sri Lanka, according to the maritime data tracking platform MarineTraffic.
"MAJOR BALTIMORE TRAFFIC ALERT: AVOID I-695 southeast corridor. I-695 Key Bridge collapse due to ship strike," the Maryland Transportation Authority wrote on X shortly after.
Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr. said in an X post that the authorities "are closely monitoring the ongoing situation at the Key Bridge."
"Our prayers remain with all those impacted," Olszewski said.
Representatives for the Maryland Transportation Authority did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
