Shocking video footage taken by eyewitness Bobby Gattus captures the devastating aftermath of the Baltimore bridge collapse.
The incident, which occurred around 1:30 am local time, involved a massive cargo ship colliding with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, sending it crashing into the Patapsco River.
The disaster has been declared a state of emergency.
A witness video captures the aftermath of a Baltimore bridge collapse, leaving viewers shocked.
The owner of the video is Gattus. The video depicts the bridge as being completely gone.
In the background, he is heard saying: "If you wanna know what the bang was, a ship hit the Key Bridge... Sinking, the bridge is gone. Holy hell!"
The CCTV footage showed the 300-meter container ship, identified as the "Dali," spewing black smoke moments before impact. While unconfirmed, the ship is suspected of losing power prior to the collision.
According to the report, the incident resulted in dozens of cars and workers being thrown into the water.
The collision with a container ship, the Singaporean-flagged "Dali," caused the bridge to crumble, leaving dozens of people and vehicles submerged.
Now, rescue efforts are underway in an attempt to save the life of the victim
The Baltimore City Fire Department has labeled the scene a "mass casualty event." A large-scale rescue operation, involving the U.S. Coast Guard and other Maryland agencies, is actively underway.
Kevin Cartwright, communications director for the Baltimore City Fire Department, provided an update on the rescue mission roughly three hours after the incident.
He informed CNN that "some cargo or retainers hanging from the bridge" are creating difficulties for responders.
Cartwright elaborated on the urgency, stating, "This happened at 1.30am with limited visibility so we are working aggressively, considering the environmental temperatures as well as the water temperatures to try and rescue and perhaps recover individuals." He mentioned the temperature at his location felt "at least about 30 degrees [Fahrenheit] (-1°C)," with the water likely being even colder, posing a risk to divers.
On social media, the moment when the Baltimore bridge collapses after being struck by a container ship gains attention.
Several videos captured the moment of the disaster as the ship collided with a support structure, leaving several users stunned.
One person said: Could you imagine if this has happened at 7am? Seven people missing is seven too many, but my goodness, you'd be talking probably hundreds dead.
A second wrote: The fact this happened at 1:30am and while tragic, can you imagine had this happened during mid day. Sending prayers
While a third commented: Im a truck driver and Ive crossed this bridge so many times. This is crazy to see and hope they recover everything they can so the families can have solace
Someone else said: How horrifying. Those poor people who were on the bridge. They and their families are in my heart and thoughts.
Watching the video:
