Baltimore bridge collapse - mass casualties

[Viker]

A container ship collided with the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore this morning. Vehicles trapped on bridge can be seen falling into river, if you're squeamish don't watch any footage please. Officials have declared a mass casualty event and rescues are under way. We'll know more later on today. Since this is a religious forum, if you believe in prayer, this would be a good time for that. If for nothing else to extend deep sympathy for victims and their families.

 

[Altfish]

Awful tragedy.

Lloyds of London will be checking their policies.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

It is indeed a tragedy.

BTW, as headlines go,

"possible mass casualty event" might have been more responsible than "mass casualties," although that latter may prove to be true.​

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

From CNN:

Rescuers are searching for at least 7 people in the​

water after Baltimore bridge collapse, official says​

 

[Wandering Monk]

Apparently there was a construction crew on the bridge at the time.

 

[F1fan]

That bridge looks pretty fragile. If this is a common waterway for cargoships I wonder why there wasn't better protection for the piers. Apparently this is bridge for an interstate highway, so crucial and highly used. This is going to be a serious blow to the region's transportation.

 

[anna.]

The social media conspiracy mill is running full-tilt out there. It's "Biden's America," no it's "What flag was the cargo ship displaying," no it's "What nationality was the captain," no, it's Putin, Russia, China, Pete Buttigieg, DEI hiring...

 

[Wandering Monk]

The social media conspiracy mill is running full-tilt out there. It's "Biden's America," no it's "What flag was the cargo ship displaying," no it's "What nationality was the captain," no, it's Putin, Russia, China, Pete Buttigieg, DEI hiring...

The ship is registered in Singapore if I heard correctly.

 

[anna.]

The ship is registered in Singapore if I heard correctly.

They'll soon have it six degrees from Comet Pizza.

 

[Mock Turtle]

Possibly this was an accident waiting to happen, what with the advent of such large container ships since the bridge was built (1977), and with little protection seemingly as to the supports.

 

[Altfish]

BBC have reported that the ship had a power failure shortly before impact.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

The social media conspiracy mill is running full-tilt out there.

So let's focus elsewhere.

 

[anna.]

BBC have reported that the ship had a power failure shortly before impact.

You can see the power going off and on again a couple times in the video.

 

[Revoltingest]

That bridge looks pretty fragile. If this is a common waterway for cargoships I wonder why there wasn't better protection for the piers. Apparently this is bridge for an interstate highway, so crucial and highly used. This is going to be a serious blow to the region's transportation.

All bridges are fragile....regarding being hit by ships.
This is because it's not cost effective to make a bridge
so strong that it can withstand a colliding large ship.
More practical is to have protective barriers for piers.
An example....

Sunshine Skyway Bridge - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Why no such protection for this bridge?
I don't know.

 

[Stevicus]

Baltimore bridge collapse live updates: At least 6 unaccounted for

Personnel on the ship alerted the Maryland Department of Transportation that they lost control of the vessel, and officials were able to close the bridge before it was struck, "which undoubtedly saved lives," President Joe Biden told reporters.

They were able to alert authorities that they lost control of the ship, which gave them time to close the bridge.

"It's my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstruction. ... I expect the Congress to support my effort," Biden said.

"Our prayers are with everyone involved in this terrible accident and all the families, especially those waiting for news of their loved one right now," the president said. "To the people of Baltimore, I want to say: We're with you. We're going to stay with you, as long as it takes."

The local pilot who was at the controls is “undergoing post-accident Drug and Alcohol Testing,” the briefing said.

The cargo ship "remains impaled in the bridge," the document said. "Several shipping containers with unknown cargo fell into water. There is hull damage above the water line to the vessel and the ship is maintaining watertight integrity."

6 people remain unaccounted for.

Six people remain unaccounted for as the desperate search continues at the site of the bridge collapse, Coast Guard officials said at a Tuesday morning news conference.

Two were rescued, including one who was hospitalized and later discharged, officials said. Construction workers were on the bridge working on potholes at the time of the collapse, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.

The article said they were moving at 8 knots, which is considered fast. It was a local harbor pilot at the helm at the time.

The ship was leaving Baltimore harbor en route to Sri Lanka.

 

[anna.]

So let's focus elsewhere.

Out of respect for the OP and for those who lost their lives, perhaps this isn't the thread for it. But the radical voices out there calling it a 'black swan' event, or the start of WWIII, or blaming it on Israel or DEI are a part of the crisis of online radicalization and should be focused on, where appropriate.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

BBC have reported that the ship had a power failure shortly before impact.

The video shows the lights on the vessel shutting off and then coming back on...several times, including just moments prior to the collision...

EDIT: Sorry, Anna beat me to it...

 

[anna.]

They were able to alert authorities that they lost control of the ship, which gave them time to close the bridge.

They had 100 seconds, but they got it done.

Baltimore Bridge Dispatch Audio Shows Police Had About 100 Seconds to Stop Traffic

Dispatch audio from the Maryland Transportation Authority Police captures the short time frame authorities had to stop traffic from entering the Baltimore, Maryland, bridge.

heavy.com

 

[Revoltingest]

Out of respect for the OP and for those who lost their lives, perhaps this isn't the thread for it. But the radical voices out there calling it a 'black swan' event, or the start of WWIII, or blaming it on Israel or DEI are a part of the crisis of online radicalization and should be focused on, where appropriate.

I know the type.....every single thing that
goes wrong is a sign of something bigger,
eg, Marxists attacking, China attacking,
aliens attacking.
To them, it's never just
Shirt happens.

 

[anna.]

I know the type.....every single thing that
goes wrong is a sign of something bigger,
eg, Marxists attacking, China attacking,
aliens attacking.
To them, it's never just
Shirt happens.

I'm reading The Chaos Machine right now, and right in the middle of the chapter on YouTube radicalizing algorithms and a mention of Alex Jones, here he was today using the bridge disaster. I might start a thread on the book.

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