The largest remaining steel span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore was set to be demolished using explosives, but the operation was postponed due to weather conditions. The span, estimated to be 500 feet long and weighing up to 600 tons, had caused the closure of Baltimore’s busy port after landing on a ship that lost power and crashed into one of the bridge’s support columns. The collapse resulted in the deaths of six members of a roadwork crew, all Latino immigrants who were working on an overnight shift when the incident occurred.
Salvage crew members have been working to free the cargo ship Dali, which has been stuck amidst the wreckage, and the controlled demolition of the bridge span will allow the ship to be refloated and guided back into the Port of Baltimore. Once the ship is removed, maritime traffic can resume, providing relief to longshoremen, truckers, and small business owners affected by the port closure. The Dali’s 21-member crew will remain onboard the ship during the demolition, taking precautions to ensure their safety throughout the operation.
Engineers are using precision cuts to control how the trusses of the bridge break down during the demolition, allowing for the structure to be thrust away from the Dali when explosives are detonated. The method is deemed the safest and most efficient way to remove steel under high pressure and tension. About 6,000 tons of steel and concrete have been removed from the collapse site so far, with an estimated total of 50,000 tons of wreckage. The controlled demolition will sound like fireworks or loud thunder from a distance and will result in puffs of smoke, according to officials.
The goal is to remove the Dali by May 10 and reopen the port’s main channel by the end of May. The ship is scheduled to be refloated during high tide with the assistance of tugboats and will undergo temporary repairs before being moved to a shipyard for further repairs. The crew members of the Dali, mostly from India and one from Sri Lanka, have been onboard since the disaster, assisting investigators and maintaining the ship. Investigations into the bridge collapse are being conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board and the FBI, focusing on the ship’s electrical system, as the Dali sent a mayday call indicating a loss of power and steering control before colliding with the bridge.
