Local authorities to keep eye on Baltimore bridge collapse probe

A spokesperson for Michigan's Department of Transportation (MDOT) says it will keep a watchful eye on whatever findings come from the eventual investigation into today's tragic collision of a container ship into support columns on Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The Dali, the container ship that collided into the bridge support pier in Baltimore, is about 985 feet long and was moving at 8 knots, roughly 9 mph, at the time of the collision.

Freighters that pass through the Soo Locks can be up to 1,013 feet, 6 inches long.

Dan Weingarten, spokesperson for MDOT's Superior Region, noted that, unlike the Francis Scott Key Bridge that spans the Patapsco River, the International Bridge does not have support piers in the waterway. The piers on the International Bridge that are in the vicinity of the navigatable section of the St. Marys River are built on land.

"We we can't really speak to what happened there [in Baltimore] because it's still under investigation, it would not be appropriate for us to talk about what changes might be made to prevent something like that in the future when we don't really have any idea what happened there yet," said Weingarten.

"We will be following this investigation closely to find out if there are any lessons that can be learned from it," he added.

From 1960 to 2015, there were 35 major bridge collapses worldwide due to ship or barge collision, according to the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure. Opened in 1977, the Francis Scott Key Bridge is named for the writer of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

The Dali container ship lost power early Tuesday shortly before the collision, which brought down entire sections of the bridge. The ship’s crew issued a mayday call moments before the crash.

With the ship barrelling toward the bridge at “a very, very rapid speed,” authorities had just enough time to stop cars from coming over the bridge, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.

“These people are heroes,” Moore said. “They saved lives last night.”

Rescuers pulled two people out of the water. One person who was treated at a hospital was discharged hours later.

Multiple vehicles also went into the water, although authorities do not believe anyone was inside.

Six people who were working to fill potholes on the bridge at the time of the collision are still unaccounted for. 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages vessel traffic through the Soo Locks. Asked if there are contingency plans in place should a similar disaster occur here, public affairs chief G. W. Hitchcock said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stands ready to serve if disaster strikes.

"The Corps of Engineers has Emergency Operations Managers appointed to each division and district office, each of whom works closely with other federal, state, tribal, and local agencies, as well as volunteer groups, to develop plans and coordinate efforts in the event of an emergency," said Hitchcock. "Emergency preparedness and response is primarily a state and local responsibility. However, in instances when the nature of the disaster exceeds the capabilities of state and local agencies, the Corps of Engineers may, under emergency authorities, provide help to save human life, prevent immediate human suffering, or mitigate property damage."

— with files from The Associated Press