Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapses, major rescue operation under way

Emergency responders are searching for at least seven people believed to be in the water, Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told The Associated Press about 3am (local time).

He said agencies received emergency calls about 1.30am reporting that a vessel travelling outbound from Baltimore had struck a column on the bridge, causing it to collapse. Multiple vehicles were on the bridge at the time, including one the size of a tractor-trailer.

“Our focus right now is trying to rescue and recover these people,” Cartwright said. He said it’s too early to know how many people were affected but called the collapse a “developing mass casualty event”.

Cartwright said it appears there are “some cargo or retainers hanging from the bridge”, creating unsafe and unstable conditions, and that emergency responders are operating cautiously as a result.

“This is a dire emergency,” he said.