Key Bridge collapse mapped: Where is the Baltimore bridge and where did it fall?

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A “mass casualty incident” has been declared after a bridge in Baltimore collapsed, leaving authorities looking for seven individuals who have fallen within the river.

Part of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, in Maryland, got here down after a container ship hit it early on Tuesday morning.

The 1.6 mile-long bridge carries Route 695 and is the third longest size of unsupported roadway on this planet. It crosses the Patapsco River within the southeastern nook of Baltimore Metropolis, which is a significant sea port on the Atlantic Ocean shoreline.

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The bridge was struck by a big vessel at round 1.30am native time, with a number of autos falling into the water under. The boat additionally caught on hearth and sank.

Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fireplace Division, instructed information company AP that 911 calls reported a vessel travelling outbound from Baltimore had struck a column on the bridge, inflicting it to break down.

A number of autos had been on the bridge on the time, together with one the scale of a tractor-trailer.

Mr Cartwright mentioned: “That is at the moment a mass casualty incident and we’re looking for seven people who find themselves within the river.”

He mentioned it’s too early to understand how many individuals had been affected, however known as the collapse a “growing mass casualty occasion”.