Crews in Maryland are gearing up to conduct a controlled demolition of the largest remaining span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge. The bridge collapsed on March 26 after a container ship, the Dali, lost power and crashed into one of the support columns. The steel span landed on the ship’s bow, trapping it among the wreckage and closing Baltimore’s busy port. The collapse resulted in the deaths of six roadwork crew members, all Latino immigrants, who were filling potholes on an overnight shift when the bridge came crashing down.
The controlled demolition is scheduled to take place on Sunday and will allow the Dali to be refloated and guided back into the Port of Baltimore. Once the ship is removed, maritime traffic can begin returning to normal, providing relief for thousands of workers who have been impacted by the port closure. The Dali’s 21-member crew will shelter in place aboard the ship during the demolition, with precautions being taken to ensure everyone’s safety. Engineers are using precision cuts to control how the trusses break down during the demolition, ensuring “surgical precision” and a safe and efficient removal process.
After the demolition, hydraulic grabbers will lift the resulting steel sections onto barges. Officials have emphasized that the controlled demolition will not be as dramatic as what is seen in movies, with the process likely sounding like fireworks or loud thunder from a distance. The Dali crew members, primarily from India and one from Sri Lanka, have been unable to leave the grounded vessel since the disaster. They have been busy maintaining the ship and assisting investigators, as the National Transportation Safety Board and the FBI conduct investigations into the bridge collapse.
Danish shipping giant Maersk chartered the Dali for a trip from Baltimore to Sri Lanka, but the ship encountered trouble shortly after leaving port. A mayday call was sent by the crew stating that they had lost power and had no control of the steering system, leading to the collision with the bridge. The safety board investigation will focus on the ship’s electrical system, seeking to determine the cause of the power loss. Officials had initially aimed to remove the Dali by May 10 and reopen the port’s main channel by the end of May, with hopes of restoring normalcy to the affected businesses and workers in the area.
