In a heroic act of quick thinking, two police officers successfully halted all traffic on Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge just seconds before a colossal container ship careened into it, averting a potential catastrophe and preserving numerous lives.
The tense situation unfolded around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday when an emergency dispatcher urgently relayed orders to officers via police radio: “Hold all traffic on the Key Bridge.”
Responding swiftly, two nearby officers positioned themselves strategically at either end of the 1.6-mile span, effectively preventing any vehicles from crossing. Their actions came in the nick of time as the 130,000-ton Dali cargo vessel, experiencing a loss of steering, hurtled towards the bridge out of control.
Despite noticing a crew conducting pothole repairs on the bridge, the officers had little time to warn them before the Dali collided with a support beam in the middle of the Patapsco River, causing the entire bridge to collapse within moments and plunging eight workers into the frigid waters below.
Frantic radio calls from the scene depicted the chaos unfolding as officers witnessed the bridge’s collapse and alerted their colleagues to the unfolding disaster.
The collapse occurred approximately 90 seconds after the initial distress call from the Dali crew, leaving scant moments for the officers to execute their life-saving intervention.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore lauded the officers for their swift actions, acknowledging that their efforts undoubtedly spared numerous lives.
Further investigation by Maryland transportation officials confirmed that no vehicles were present on the bridge at the time of the incident, a testament to the officers’ effective traffic control.
While two of the workers were rescued, efforts continued to locate the six individuals still missing amidst the wreckage.
The MV Dali, a Singapore-flagged container ship, reportedly experienced propulsion failure as it departed the Port of Baltimore, prompting crew warnings of an imminent collision.
As investigations into the cause of the crash intensify, authorities are confronted with the daunting task of reconstructing the bridge, a vital artery for the region’s transportation network and a linchpin of the nation’s commerce.
Despite the challenges ahead, the Biden administration has pledge to restore normalcy and safeguard the economic vitality of Baltimore and beyond.
