THIS WEEK IN HISTORY-March 26, 2024

Baltimore’s Key Bridge Collapsed

A year ago and today

Francis Scott Key Bridge collapses into the Patapsco River in Baltimore. Photo credit Photo credit Baltimore City Fire Department and WJZTV.com

The Dali was stuck under the bridge wreckage for weeks. Image credit Getty Images

A year ago this week, Baltimore Maryland experienced the unthinkable; the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The bridge was hit by a 984-foot cargo ship, The Dali, after an electrical problem disabled the ship’s lights, navigation and steering capabilities.

Francis Scott Key Bridge was a historic bridge spanning the lower Patapsco River and outer Baltimore Harbor and port. It was near Fort McHenry, famous for the site where Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner and the bridge’s namesake. It was part of I-95, 695 (Baltimore Beltway) and other main traffic routes; a main artery in and around downtown Baltimore.

Fortunately, the accident happened at 1:29 a.m at a very slow traffic time. Fortunately, police were able to close the bridge right before The Dali, carrying 4700 cargo containers, struck the main support of the bridge.

Unfortunately, eight construction workers who were on the bridge went into the water as she fell. Two survived, the others were victims of the collapse.