A portion of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore has collapsed after a large boat collided with it early on Tuesday morning, sending multiple vehicles into the water.

At about 1.30am, a vessel crashed into the bridge, catching fire before sinking and causing multiple vehicles to fall into the water below, according to a video posted on X.

“All lanes closed both directions for incident on I-695 Key Bridge. Traffic is being detoured,” the Maryland Transportation Authority posted on X.

Matthew West, a petty officer first class for the coastguard in Baltimore, told the New York Times that the coastguard received a report of an impact at 1.27am ET. West said the Dali, a 948ft (29 metres) Singapore-flagged cargo ship, had hit the bridge, which is part of Interstate 695.

  • @jordanlund
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    339 months ago

    I had to find a map, yeah, this is going to be a major cluster fuck in the morning. It’s possible to route around it, but the next crossing is aways away:

    • @FrankTheHealer
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      249 months ago

      Just looking at that map makes me crack up as someone from Ireland. Baltimore is a small town here on the south coast of Cork. Dundalk is up in Northern Ireland. Pasadena is a place in California.

      I just think it’s funny when America has random place names taken from elsewhere.

    • @[email protected]
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      fedilink
      129 months ago

      Hazmats are prohibited in both tunnels. About the only option for those is to go all the way around 695, adding the better part of 50 miles.

    • @[email protected]
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      9 months ago

      I wonder how quickly one can get a RORO ferry up and running? That bridge isn’t gonna be rebuilt any time soon.

      • @derf82
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        179 months ago

        Even the largest ferry can’t come close to matching the capacity of a 4 lane highway bridge.

      • @jordanlund
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        9 months ago

        No joke, and I bet it was heavily used too… Better jump on those infrastructure dollars!

      • @bitchkat
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        19 months ago

        Its not the same thing at all but they got the I-35W bridge rebuilt in 13 months after the bridge collapsed into the Mississippi. Its only 1/2 mile long and the river span is of course tiny – no supports required in water.