Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapses

[RFK Jr.’s Brain Worm]

I kid you not, this is one of the most most erratic fears I have - being on a collapsed bridge over water.

For what it’s worth, I’d rather be on the Golden Gate Bridge than the east span of the Bay Bridge if faced with this scenario (or an earthquake).

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

Terrible tragedy. The only somewhat not bad news it didn't occur during rushhour or at day.

It's more than that...it sounds like the crew of the ship sent out a distress call in time for officials to clear almost everyone off of the bridge.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I kid you not, this is one of the most most erratic fears I have - being on a collapsed bridge over water.

For what it’s worth, I’d rather be on the Golden Gate Bridge than the east span of the Bay Bridge if faced with this scenario (or an earthquake).

I actually have been planning a trip to Saint Petersburg to visit my great aunt and my best friend, both who live there, but I plan on taking the longer way via Route 60 to get there. I don't want to have to go over that bridge over Tampa Bay if I can help it. It got hit by a ship once, it can get hit by a ship again.

[Storr]

yeah, it would be hard stupid expensive to design something that could absorb or resist that kind of energy

There are concrete fenders, aka "dolphins," that are typically installed around major supports in the water on newer projects (i.e. the replacement Sunshine Skyway Bridge). I heard elsewhere that they might not have been installed around this bridge because the supports were clear of the main shipping channel. However it doesn't appear that there was much around the bridge supports in Google Earth views. The adjacent power lines that were constructed in the past few years appear to have a better fender system.

Image of the replacement Sunshine Skyway Bridge and the many "dolphins" surrounding the bridge piers. It is from a very good youtube video about the incident.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge was completed 3 years before the Sunshine Skyway Bridge collision and collapse, so presumably dolphins were not standard or required for bridges crossing heavy tonnage shipping channels at the time.

[hurricanehink]

This all reminds me how much we need to rebuild and improve our infrastructure all across the country. The infrastructure bill was only a down payment for what we need to do. Hopefully the new bridge includes pedestrian crossing/bike lanes, the aforementioned “dolphins” to protect against future events, and make the new bridge a shining example of 21st century infrastructure, and not just a rushed job to make it what it was. Hell, if there could be room for a second deck for rail, that would set a good standard for river crossings in major cities. Hopefully today’s collapse will be the last one, and that everyone is found safe.

[Tekken_Guy]

Biden is about to give an address on the matter:

https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1772664914873630774

https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1772690130265858429

You’re four hours late.

[President Johnson]

Biden is about to give an address on the matter:

https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1772664914873630774

https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1772690130265858429

You’re four hours late.

Oops, Twitter somehow showed "the live event" was about to start in 13 minutes. I deleted the post.

[Tekken_Guy]

Biden is about to give an address on the matter:

https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1772664914873630774

https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1772690130265858429

You’re four hours late.

Oops, Twitter somehow showed "the live event" was about to start in 13 minutes. I deleted the post.

Well it’ll be forever saved thanks to my quote tweet.

[Vosem]

Remarkable that the number of casualties was so low (even if the bridge were closed beforehand, still remarkable that they were able to respond to the ship losing power so quickly), and on top of that that multiple individuals were rescued (even if 6 are unfortunately still missing). Seems like first responders and relevant local officials must've done an amazing job here.

[Progressive Pessimist]

I've had literal nightmares about this happening to me while I was on a bridge.

[GeorgiaModerate]

I've had literal nightmares about this happening to me while I was on a bridge.

This, and the general fear of bridges, especially high ones, is quite a common phobia.  I had a college friend (big athletic guy) who had a bad case of it.  He would never drive over a bridge, even if he had to go miles out of his way, and as a passenger would have to close his eyes while going over one.

[emailking]

Cargo ship lost power before colliding with Baltimore bridge; 6 presumed dead

The US Coast Guard says it is suspending its search and rescue efforts for the six individuals still missing after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

“I’d like to announce tonight that based on the length of time that we’ve gone in this search, the extensive search efforts we’ve put into it, the water temperature, that at this point we do not believe that we’re going to find any of these individuals still alive,” Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath told reporters at a Tuesday evening news conference.

The collapse occurred after a massive container ship lost power early Tuesday and crashed into the bridge, sending people and vehicles into the frigid Patapsco River.

The six missing people are believed to have been part of a construction crew repairing potholes on the bridge, Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld said at a news conference earlier Tuesday.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/26/us/baltimore-key-bridge-collapse-tuesday/index.html

[Secretary of State Liberal Hack]

In case anyone wondered what

I have been staring at this image for 3 minutes trying to extract some sort of meaning from it. Can someone who understands neo-nazi translate for me ?

[T'Chenka]

Has anybody else seen these tweets? Gross stuff.

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1772619621457154389
https://twitter.com/AnthonySabatini/status/1772643640843604097
https://twitter.com/LokayFOX5/status/1772746037947478148

[Dr. MB]

https://twitter.com/ygorpetrov/status/1772645876592177252?s=46

[GM Team Member and Deputy PPT WB]

In case anyone wondered what

I have been staring at this image for 3 minutes trying to extract some sort of meaning from it. Can someone who understands neo-nazi translate for me ?

"non white people and/or immigrants run baltimore so that's why this happened" I think?

[Progressive Pessimist]

Has anybody else seen these tweets? Gross stuff.

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1772619621457154389
https://twitter.com/AnthonySabatini/status/1772643640843604097
https://twitter.com/LokayFOX5/status/1772746037947478148

These sound like satirical jokes we would make, alas...

[Crumpets]

Has anybody else seen these tweets? Gross stuff.

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1772619621457154389
https://twitter.com/AnthonySabatini/status/1772643640843604097
https://twitter.com/LokayFOX5/status/1772746037947478148

I reported a Facebook post from a political cartoonist yesterday for this. I doubt it'll be taken down, but I was so happy we were about to make it a full day without a freak accident being used for political points with next to no context or useful information about what happened. And then they had to just... decide it was an immigrant or a black person or whoever that... caused a boat to lose power?

[Sir Mohamed]

Has anybody else seen these tweets? Gross stuff.

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1772619621457154389
https://twitter.com/AnthonySabatini/status/1772643640843604097
https://twitter.com/LokayFOX5/status/1772746037947478148

I reported a Facebook post from a political cartoonist yesterday for this. I doubt it'll be taken down, but I was so happy we were about to make it a full day without a freak accident being used for political points with next to no context or useful information about what happened. And then they had to just... decide it was an immigrant or a black person or whoever that... caused a boat to lose power?

Such nonsense Tweets and posts what I hate about the internet and social media platform. If they were at least better in moderation.

[Crumpets]

Has anybody else seen these tweets? Gross stuff.

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1772619621457154389
https://twitter.com/AnthonySabatini/status/1772643640843604097
https://twitter.com/LokayFOX5/status/1772746037947478148

I reported a Facebook post from a political cartoonist yesterday for this. I doubt it'll be taken down, but I was so happy we were about to make it a full day without a freak accident being used for political points with next to no context or useful information about what happened. And then they had to just... decide it was an immigrant or a black person or whoever that... caused a boat to lose power?

Such nonsense Tweets and posts what I hate about the internet and social media platform. If they were at least better in moderation.

One underrated thing that's gotten a lot worse about Twitter under Musk is how far down any sort of mainstream, authoritative source appears on any basic search of breaking news terms. If you wanted to get a rundown from a wire news source by searching "Baltimore bridge" on Twitter yesterday, you could only find it after shoveling past dozens of paid-blue-checkmark accounts pontificating and speculating about what they think might have happened.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Hogan never was up 12 anyways it hurts his chances now even more

[Joe Republic]

The most depressing thing about the deaths of those 6 workers was that they had been working an overnight shift to repair potholes… on a road that was about to cease to exist before their shift was over.  Life is truly cruel sometimes.

[SevenEleven]

This is tragic. We are fortunate we were able to prevent more losses from this collapse.

[emailking]

2 bodies found in truck at site of Baltimore bridge collapse as investigators end search for workers, police say

The collapse of a major bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday morning due to a massive cargo ship collision has left multiple people dead and throttled one of the country’s biggest ports for the foreseeable future.

Here’s the latest:

    Search ends after 2 bodies found: Two workers were found trapped in a red pickup in the Patapsco River at the middle of the collapsed bridge, according to the Maryland State Police. Superintendent Col. Roland L. Butler said search efforts have ended for the four additional workers who are presumed dead because additional vehicles are encased in concrete and other debris, making it unsafe for divers.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/26/us/francis-scott-key-bridge-collapse-wednesday/index.html

[ProudModerate2]

Has anybody else seen these tweets? Gross stuff.

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1772619621457154389

What the Hell is that about?
She has come a long way (in the wrong direction) from what I remember her as, back in the 1990's.
It's almost like a person has to have a conspiracy-brain to join Fox News. Disgusting.