On Monday, crews used carefully placed explosives to destroy large areas of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge. baltimore, maryland It then crashes the shattered metal into the water below.
Video of the demolition showed explosives detonating, followed by a flash of fire followed by a loud bang and plumes of black smoke.
The steel truss then broke apart, separated from the grounded Dali container ship, and fell into the water. When the metal hit the Patapsco River, a large wave of water crashed into the bow of the ship.
It is unclear whether the ship has been freed from the chaos, but detonating the largest remaining section across the bow is a major step.
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On Monday, May 13, 2024, in Baltimore, explosives detonated a portion of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge that was being loaded onto the container ship Dali. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
The Dali has been trapped in the wreckage since losing power on March 26 and colliding with a support under the Key Bridge.
The disaster killed six construction workers and froze most maritime traffic in and out of Baltimore’s busy port.
Freeing the ship from bridge debris will eventually lead to Dali being refloated before being moved out of the way to restore port traffic. Once open, thousands of longshoremen, truck drivers and business owners will feel a sense of relief as business gradually returns.
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Officials said the explosives detonation proceeded as planned. Crew members will now assess the remaining bridge section at the container ship’s bow to ensure that nothing in the water is preventing the ship from surfacing and moving out of the area.
“It’s a lot like peeling an onion,” said Lt. Gen. Scott Spermon of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Officials still expect the ship to refloat within days.
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On Monday, May 13, 2024, in Baltimore, explosives detonated a portion of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge that was being loaded onto the container ship Dali. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
“This was a huge milestone in our progress,” said Col. Estee Pinchacin, commander of the Army Corps of Engineers’ Baltimore District, adding that he did not expect other explosives to be used in the process. Ta.
The Dali’s 21 crew members have not been able to leave the ship since the March 26 accident. In fact, the crew remained on board during Monday’s explosion and were reported to be safe and uninjured following the explosion.
The National Transportation Safety Board and FBI are investigating the cause of the bridge collapse.
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Before the crash occurred, Dali’s crew sent out a mayday call reporting that they had lost power and lost control of the ship’s control systems. Minutes later, the ship struck a bridge support, causing the structure to collapse.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
