Key bridge in Baltimore collapses after cargo ship crashes into it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That water is not exactly the warmest this time of the year.

Unfortunately it’s a little warmer than would be helpful for surviving. If it were freezing water people have a small chance of being shocked and frozen and not dying immediately. Praying that anyone survives somehow anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe the state of our infrastructure is so bad that this would take out the WHOLE bridge. God bless the people who were driving on it at the time, there’s no way they will pull many survivors out of the river

Unfortunately we didn't spend any infrastructure money to make bridges impenetrable to collision from ships.

It’s entirely possible I am misunderstanding how these things are constructed and work but at most I would expect a portion of the bridge to collapse if one support column was hit. The whole entire just immediately fell, it didn’t even like stand and wobble, or part of it collapse while the ends remained intact, it just collapsed! That seems like an insanely weak construction.

[Anonymous]

Similar disaster happened in Tampa in 1980 https://www.tampabay.com/photos/2018/05/09/the-sunshine-skyway-bridge-plunged-into-tampa-bay-38-years-ago/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe the state of our infrastructure is so bad that this would take out the WHOLE bridge. God bless the people who were driving on it at the time, there’s no way they will pull many survivors out of the river

Unfortunately we didn't spend any infrastructure money to make bridges impenetrable to collision from ships.

It’s entirely possible I am misunderstanding how these things are constructed and work but at most I would expect a portion of the bridge to collapse if one support column was hit. The whole entire just immediately fell, it didn’t even like stand and wobble, or part of it collapse while the ends remained intact, it just collapsed! That seems like an insanely weak construction.

A portion did collapse. That’s not the whole bridge in the video.

[Anonymous]

I was just reading about how to survive a car plunging into water. The only way is to roll your window down and evacuate immediately. You will never break out the glass even if you have tools (both because of the water pressure and because even side auto glass is now made to be shatter proof).

This is terrifying.

[Anonymous]

I guess we need to start rolling down our windows before we cross over bridges

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe the state of our infrastructure is so bad that this would take out the WHOLE bridge. God bless the people who were driving on it at the time, there’s no way they will pull many survivors out of the river

I do not want to sound obnoxious but every single time I am traveling on a bridge over water I am always on alert and anticipate that I could end up in the water at any moment.

Same, it's a massive fear of mine. I actually wind down my window so I can get out if my car ends up in the water.
It's even worse now that I'm always driving with my toddler in her car seat in the back seat..

So sorry for those people who were on the bridge, it happened so quick

It’s a big fear of mine too- I should start rolling down the window.

So awful- and could have been so much worse of it had happened a few hours later. I imagine that even by 630am on a weekday there is typically more than 20 cars on the bridge.

[Anonymous]

Texas.

[Anonymous]

Texas. Wider angle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe the state of our infrastructure is so bad that this would take out the WHOLE bridge. God bless the people who were driving on it at the time, there’s no way they will pull many survivors out of the river

I do not want to sound obnoxious but every single time I am traveling on a bridge over water I am always on alert and anticipate that I could end up in the water at any moment.

Same, it's a massive fear of mine. I actually wind down my window so I can get out if my car ends up in the water.
It's even worse now that I'm always driving with my toddler in her car seat in the back seat..

So sorry for those people who were on the bridge, it happened so quick

It’s a big fear of mine too- I should start rolling down the window.

So awful- and could have been so much worse of it had happened a few hours later. I imagine that even by 630am on a weekday there is typically more than 20 cars on the bridge.

Yup it’s the Baltimore Beltway and doesn’t look dissimilar from the DC Beltway during rush hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Texas.

This was around 20 years ago, right?

[Anonymous]

My prayers to all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe the state of our infrastructure is so bad that this would take out the WHOLE bridge. God bless the people who were driving on it at the time, there’s no way they will pull many survivors out of the river

Unfortunately we didn't spend any infrastructure money to make bridges impenetrable to collision from ships.

It’s entirely possible I am misunderstanding how these things are constructed and work but at most I would expect a portion of the bridge to collapse if one support column was hit. The whole entire just immediately fell, it didn’t even like stand and wobble, or part of it collapse while the ends remained intact, it just collapsed! That seems like an insanely weak construction.

For any bridge with long spans, the loss of a pillar is taking the whole thing down. That's just how physics work. The sections left when the pillar is removed will never be balanced enough to remain standing and the whole thing will collapse

[Anonymous]

You’d think a loaded ship would be require to use a tug escort at least past a huge bridge to eliminate this possibility??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What the hell happened on that freighter? I hope they have to take full responsibility. Thank goodness it happened at 1:30AM which limited the casualties. I’m so angry about this.

I just woke up, and I have the exact same thoughts.

WTF!