After the discovery of the final victim in the Baltimore bridge collapse tragedy, cleanup efforts are set to intensify this weekend as crews plan to use small explosives to break apart a significant portion of the damaged bridge that has been resting on top of the M/V Dali cargo ship for the past six weeks. The 213-million-pound Dali cargo ship collided with a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, resulting in the deaths of six construction workers, destruction of the major transportation hub, and severe economic consequences for the Port of Baltimore. A related article published previously provides further details.
Baltimore has already initiated legal action against the cargo ship’s owner and operator following the tragedy. The upcoming operation involves precision cuts using small charges, as recommended by the Unified Command – a coalition of state and federal agencies dealing with the disaster response. According to the Unified Command, breaking up the bridge section into smaller parts would facilitate the process of freeing the vessel from its current location and returning it to its original dock in the Port of Baltimore, potentially as soon as early next week. However, the precise timing of the controlled demolition would depend on various environmental and operational considerations.
Meanwhile, investigations into the cause of the accident and the parties responsible are still ongoing. The House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure has scheduled a hearing for Wednesday to debate the matter. Various high-ranking officials, including the chairperson of the National Transportation Safety Board and representatives from the Coast Guard, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Department of Transportation, are expected to testify during the meeting.
In a separate incident, a large barge crashed into the historic Fort Madison Bridge in Iowa, causing it to submerge partially. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, although the bridge had to be closed temporarily for safety reasons. The bridge features dual-rail tracks on its lower level, and two lanes for road transport occupy the upper deck. It remains uncertain whether there were any vehicles traversing the bridge or if any trains were passing through it at the time of the mishap. The bridge’s eastbound lanes have been narrowed to two due to the accident, and it is presently unknown when regular traffic will be resumed.
Additionally, a SigAlert has been issued near the location of the incident, and authorities have advised the populace to steer clear of the site to accommodate emergency personnel. It is not yet known when regular traffic will resume. A comparable occurrence transpired earlier in the day on California’s State Route 14 Freeway near Castaic.
Finally, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a train derailed, prompting authorities to request that people avoid the vicinity to enable emergency services to function effectively. Despite the deployment of heavy machinery to secure the region, search operations will continue with utmost caution and sensitivity, as per the local authorities’ statement.
Conversely, in South Africa, a building collapse has led to a rescue operation instead of a recovery effort, although no survivors have been found or rescued since Wednesday. The rescue teams will employ meticulous and sensitive methods, given their extensive expertise in such matters, based on the local authorities’ announcement.
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