The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
First responders key in sparing lives
Emergency workers halted traffic on bridge moments before ship made impact.
As a cargo ship the size of a skyscraper drifted dangerously close to a major Baltimore bridge Tuesday that carried more than 30,000 cars a day, the crew of the Dali issued an urgent “Mayday,” hoping to avert disaster.
First responders sprang into action, shutting down most traffic on the four-lane Francis Scott Key Bridge just before the 95,000 grosston vessel plowed into a bridge piling at about 1:30 a.m., causing multiple sections of the span to bow and snap in a harrowing scene captured on video.
“C13 dispatch, the whole bridge just fell down!” someone shouted on an emergency channel.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, hailed those who carried out the quick work as heroes and said they saved lives, but the scale of the destruction was catastrophic and will probably have far-reaching impacts for the economy and travel on the East Coast for months to come.
Much of the 1.6-mile bridge fell, sending at least eight construction workers repairing potholes into the 48-degree waters of the Patapsco River. Two were rescued, including one who was seriously injured. Authorities announced Tuesday night that six were presumed dead; they suspended the search. Authorities found the remains of two people Wednesday afternoon.
The collapse halted shipping at the Port of Baltimore — one of the nation’s largest — and severed a crucial portion of Baltimore’s Beltway, which is also a major artery in the busy corridor between Washington and New York.
Jesus Campos, who works for Brawner Builders, based in Cockeysville, Maryland, was awaiting word about the fate of six of colleagues who had plunged into the Patapsco.
Campos said he was not working Monday night but was rustled out of bed around 5 a.m. by a colleague, who told him about the tragedy. Campos, who speaks only Spanish, said the workers had been on a meal break, sitting in or near their vehicles, when the bridge collapsed. He said all six of the missing men were Latino.
“I’m very sad right now,” Campos said in Spanish. “These are my co-workers and friends.”
Campos said working on the bridge was harrowing. Construction crews are constantly worried about speeding motorists, and the bridge “moves a lot” because of its design and engineering. Even so, Campos said he never could have imagined the structure would collapse.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said the construction workers were employed by Brawner but the company might also subcontract workers. Jeffrey Pritzker, executive VP at Brawner Builders, said the bridge collapse was “a totally unforeseen event which no one could have predicted.” He said the company had seven employees working on the bridge overnight; one of them survived and six were still missing, he said.
“The company is upset, families are distressed, this is a terrible tragedy,” Pritzker said. “I don’t know what more I can say.”