Baltimore bridge collapse sends vehicles tumbling into water

The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after it was hit by a container ship, causing its steel arches to collapse into the Patapsco River at 1.30am. The ship was identified by LSEG ship tracking data as a Singapore-flagged container ship, the Dali. (Image: AP)

The ship owned by Grace Ocean Pte Ltd caught fire after collision emitting thick, black smoke. Baltimore Police ruled out terrorism in the bridge collapse. "There is absolutely no indication that there's any terrorism, that this was done on purpose," said Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley. (Image: Reuters)

Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, called the incident 'a dire emergency.' He called the collapse a “developing mass casualty event.” (Image: AFP)

The exact number of vehicles present on the 1.6-mile-long bridge at the time of the collision remains uncertain. Emergency responders were searching for at least seven people believed to be in the water, Cartwright said. The governor of Maryland declared a state of emergency after the incident. (Image: Reuters)

The tragic event was captured in real-time and shared on a YouTube livestream, depicting the bridge collapsing after collision to the waters below, a New York Post report said. (Image: AFP)

The container ship, Dali, "lost propulsion" as it was leaving port, as per an unclassified US intelligence report cited by ABC News. The crew reportedly alerted Maryland officials about the loss of control, leading to the collision with the bridge. (Image: AP)

Baltimore City Police, after the incident launched immediate rescue efforts. ​US Coast Guard and the Maryland Transportation Authority also responded immediately. (Image: Reuters)

The MTA had to shut down interstate lanes in both directions after the collision, which eventually led to traffic flow disruption causing major detours. (Image: Reuters)