A 12.57 kilometers-long bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, has collapsed into the river after it was hit by a container ship.
As a result, a Mass Casualty Incident has been declared in Baltimore. There are reports of people being in the water. The temperature in the area is currently 6°C (43°F).
Rescue operations have commenced for at least seven people believed to be in the water, said Kevin Cartwright, the director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department.
The Volunteer Firefighters, the Volunteer Swift Water Team, Special Operations Team are assisting the Unified Command at the Baltimore Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.
According to Cartwright, “Our focus right now is trying to rescue and recover these people.”
He explained that it was too early to know how many people were on the bridge but called the collapse a “developing mass casualty event”.
Footages from a live stream of the bridge showed several of its spans collapsing after it was hit by the cargo ship.
