(BrightPress.org) – On Monday, May 13th, crews in Baltimore, Maryland used explosives to perform “precision cutting” of the wreckage from the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge that remained atop the cargo ship the Dali, preventing it from moving from its position in the Patapsco River.
On March 26th, the Dali reported a loss of power minutes before crashing into a support column, causing the bridge to collapse and killing six construction workers who had been repairing potholes at the time of the crash.
Maritime traffic through the port of Baltimore has been extremely limited since the bridge collapsed impacting the jobs of thousands of transportation workers and small business owners.
Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said the detonation went as planned. Cuts were made in strategically chosen places along the steel truss. Small explosive devices were placed into the cuts. The denotation of the explosives “cut” the truss into smaller pieces, some of which fell into the river. Other portions that remain on the deck of the Dali are to be removed using a crane.
The detonation process lasted only seconds. The crew of the Dali, who have remained on board since the crash, were sheltered aboard the cargo ship during the explosion. There were no injuries. Authorities advised everyone within 2000 yards of the blast area to wear ear protection.
Crews will now clear and inspect the area around the Dali to ensure it is safe to refloat the vessel. The Dali will then be moved, with the aid of four tugboats to Seagirt Marine Terminal where it will be temporarily patched up and inspected before being moved to Norfolk, Virginia for complete repairs.
The NTSB and the FBI are investigating the bridge collapse.
President Joe Biden has promised federal funds to cover the $2 billion cost of rebuilding the bridge. The project is expected to take about four years to complete.
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