Footage of the incident shows cars falling into the water
A large section of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore has collapsed after being hit by a ship, according to videos from the scene.
The incident happened at around 1:30 am, according to AP. The clips posted on X (formerly Twitter) show several sections of the bridge going down, with multiple cars falling into the water.
Judging by the videos, the ship that caused the accident caught fire and sunk. There have so far been no reports of deaths or injuries.
The Maryland Transportation Authority said that all lanes in both directions were closed on the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Traffic is being detoured, it added.
The director of communications for the Baltimore City Fire Department, Kevin Cartwright, confirmed to the BBC that the bridge had been struck by “a large vessel” and partially collapsed. “As many as seven individuals and several vehicles” ended up in the Patapsco River, Cartwright said.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge is a 1.6-mile (2,632-meter) four-lane bridge across the Patapsco River. It was opened in 1977 and serves as the outermost crossing of the Baltimore harbor.
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