The Baltimore Key Bridge collapse incident happened on 26th of March 2024 and was caused by a loss of power on a cargo ship known as Dali which struck one of the support columns of the Francis Scott Key Bridge hence leading to failure of the bridge.

The accident happened on Wednesday at around 1.30a.m. Some of the cars plunged into the Patapsco River with the bodies of six construction workers presumed dead.

Those who rushed for options in emergencies had gone to work but later the operation became all about looking for the deceased.

This incident brought big concerns on the safety of structures in America to the forefront as well as led to a state of emergency announcement by the governor in Maryland.

What Went Wrong?

The loss of electricity on the cargo ship Dali was a key reason for the Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse.

It all started with several electrical issues, like a total shutdown which took place roughly ten hours before leaving the Port of Baltimore because of mistakes made during maintenance by people.

This first mistake was because a person on the team shut off an exhaust damper by mistake. This led to the engine stopping and one of the generators turning off.

Immediate Aftermath of the Collapse

The actual scene portrayed on the photograph of the Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse was a scene of confusion and significant structural harm.

The bridge split in half and many cars collapsed at the side of the bridge and fell into the Patapsco River.

Held and Lagasse noted that ‘Other things that were added in there were debris and remnants from the crash.’ Firefighters, police, and the members of the coast guard arrived there instantly to begin the rescue operations.

This was not the end of the problem, the bridge was still dangerous and had many parts that were shattered, the waters were always cluttered which caused a lot of inconveniences to the helpers. It was difficult to see and to help the people who were trapped in their vehicles due to the water pressures.

Casualties and Victims

The six construction workers who sadly passed away in the Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse were all immigrants from Central America and Mexico.

They were employed by Brawner Builders to fix holes in the bridge. Among those who lost their lives was “Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes”, a 35-year-old man from Mexico, and “Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera”, a 26-year-old woman from Guatemala.

The remains of both men were found not long after the event happened. The surviving four employees, such as “Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval” from Honduras, “Jose Mynor Lopez” from Guatemala, “Miguel Angel Luna Gonzalez” from El Salvador, and another worker who has not been identified to this day, are still missing and are believed to have perished.

This Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse event has had a big impact on their families and the local Hispanic community. The community is coming together to help the families of the workers, collecting lots of money and holding candlelight tributes in their honor.

Witness Accounts and Eyewitness Reports

People who were at the Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse side shared very scary stories about what happened that night.

They talked about a big noise followed by seeing cars falling into the river, and some people ran to help those stuck in their vehicles.

Sarah, a person who happens to live nearby, told how she got into the water with others in a rush to save whoever they could find.

Those dealing with the aftermath, like emergency workers, were overwhelmed by feelings of sorrow as they faced the broken remains.

Government and Emergency Response

In reaction to the Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse, both local and federal officials have acted quickly to organize rescue work and help communities hit.

The governor of Maryland, Wes Moore, announced a state of emergency which lets the state use more resources and money for fixing everything up.

The FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency from the U.S., has been doing a lot of helping and advising for local officials.

The U.S.Coast Guard, together with the Baltimore City Fire Department and different agencies, started a big search and rescue operation right after the occurrence, then changed to a recovery mission because finding survivors became less likely.

The U.S. The Department of Transportation has promised to start with $60 million in initial money to help with cleanup and rebuild work.

Legal Implications and Liability Issues

The people who own the Dali, namely Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Pte, have asked in a federal court for a way to limit their responsibility after the bridge over the Baltimore collapsed.

This Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse caused the loss of six construction workers’ lives. They are using the Limitation of Liability Act from 1851, which lets shipowners only pay as much as the ship and its cargo worth at journey’s end when an accident occurs at sea.

In this situation, the petition calculates the value of the ship known as Dali to be around “$43.6 million”, which includes the expenses for fixing and recovering it.

Economic Impact on Baltimore and Surrounding Areas

The economic problems caused by the Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse have been substantial, affecting local businesses and the Port of Baltimore both right away and in the future.

This bridge was very important for moving things around, and after it fell down, it caused a lot of trouble with traffic getting stuck.

This problem has made moving big boxes all around on I-695 harder because this road is very important for the bigger road called Interstate 95.

The Port of Baltimore, a place that manages more than “50 million tons” of goods every year, has had some parts closed up, causing trouble in day-to-day tasks and maybe sending cargo to different places like New York and New Jersey instead.

They use this port a lot for getting vehicles in from other places. Predictions show that the economic effect might be between “$100 to $200 million” each day, which would influence thousands of people working in ports and could also affect around “140,000” indirectly.

Because businesses are trying to adjust to this new situation, there will probably be more expensive transportation and delays.

The Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse incident shows us clearly how weak our buildings and boats can be, and it reminds us all that we must be careful.

After this Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse people who are involved in making things and working with boats need to pay more attention to safety, taking responsibility, and being strong when building things or working in water.