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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    338 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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      248 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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      128 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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      8 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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        178 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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        8 months ago

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

      • @bitchkat
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        18 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.