Crews used explosives to bring down a big part of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. With a loud noise and a splash, the big steel pieces fell into the river below.
The explosives made a bright orange flash and sent black smoke into the air when they went off. The longest steel pieces fell away from a big ship called the Dali, which has been stuck near the bridge since March 26.
The Dali crashed into one of the bridge’s support columns and stopped. Six construction workers died in the accident, and the port had to close for a while. Now, with this controlled explosion, they can start to clean up and get the ship moving again.
Officials said everything went according to plan. Next, they need to check the ship to make sure it’s okay to move it. They think they can refloat it in the next few days.
The ship’s crew was on board during the explosion, but everyone was okay. They haven’t been able to leave the ship since the accident. There are 20 crew members from India and one from Sri Lanka.
The engineers spent a long time getting ready for the explosion. They had to be very careful because the steel pieces were big and heavy. They had to postpone the explosion once because of bad weather.
Engineers used explosives to bring down a big part of the Baltimore Bridge
The cleanup teams have been very careful to keep everyone safe. Firefighters were nearby just in case there were any problems.
Now that the steel pieces are in the river, crews will use big machines to lift them onto barges.
There are investigations going on to find out why the bridge collapsed. The National Transportation Safety Board and the FBI are looking into it. They think there might have been a problem with the ship’s electrical system.
The Dali was supposed to go to Sri Lanka from Baltimore, but it didn’t get far. The crew called for help when they lost power, but it was too late to avoid hitting the bridge.
State and federal officials have praised the cleanup crews for their work. They’ve been working hard to recover the bodies of the construction workers who died. The last body was found last week.
They’re hoping to reopen the port fully by the end of May. Until then, they’re using a temporary channel. The port is very important because it handles a lot of cars and farm equipment.
Nancy Pelosi, a former Speaker of the House and a Baltimore native, compared this disaster to the War of 1812 when the city was under attack. She said it shows how strong Maryland is when people come together to help each other.
