Maryland Governor Declares State of Emergency After Bridge Collapse: Rescue Efforts Underway

 

Following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday, Governor Wes Moore of Maryland proclaimed a state of emergency due to an impact with a cargo ship. After the Baltimore Bridge collapsed, at least 20 individuals plunged into the Patapsco River, resulting in what emergency services are referring to as a "mass casualty event."

Governor Moore announced on Twitter, "I have declared a state of emergency here in Maryland and we are working with the Biden administration to quickly deploy federal resources with an interagency team."

Governor Moore prayed for everyone's safety and praised the emergency personnel heading the rescue efforts. The governor said, "We will remain in close contact with federal, state, and local agencies working on rescue efforts as we continue to assess and respond to this tragedy." 

During a press conference, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott gave updates on the rescue operations and described the situation as "unimaginable tragedy." According to Scott, the administration is still conducting a search and rescue effort in an effort to locate and save as many lives as possible.
In addition to expressing gratitude to the rescue workers, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski cautioned that there is "a long road ahead" for both the rescue operations and the aftermath of the Baltimore Bridge collapse. 

Two persons were pulled out of the water and transported to the hospital, according to the chief of the Baltimore Fire Department. According to James Wallace, one of them declined medical attention, and the other's condition is "very serious."

Rescue agency leaders expressed hope that the effort would last the entire day and expressed concern about the number of casualties stemming from the fall of the Baltimore Bridge.