Baltimore Construction Company Worker Miraculously Survives Bridge Collapse

A Baltimore construction worker miraculously survived the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday morning. The devastating incident led to the presumed deaths of six other workers, as confirmed by Jeffrey Pritzker, the executive vice president of Brawner Builders, the employer of the workers.

Details of the Tragic Event

While the names of the workers were not disclosed, it was reported that they fell into the freezing waters of the 50-foot-deep Patapsco River after a cargo ship collided with the bridge in Baltimore's port. Despite rescue efforts, the bodies of the presumed dead workers have not been recovered due to the time elapsed and the depth of the water, leading rescue teams to believe that they may not have survived.

Search and rescue operations were suspended on Tuesday evening, as reported by the Washington Post, further adding to the tragedy of the situation.

The Cause of the Collapse

The Singapore-tagged Dali cargo ship crashed into the bridge around 1:30 a.m. following a power loss. Interestingly, the Brawner Builders workers were on their meal break at the time of the incident, as shared by one of their coworkers, Jesus Campos.

Governor Wes Moore of Maryland highlighted that the situation could have been far worse if not for a mayday call issued by the Dali crew members, alerting officials of the impending collision with the bridge. This prompt action allowed officials to halt traffic on both sides of the bridge, potentially preventing further casualties. Governor Moore commended the crew for their actions, emphasizing that lives were likely saved as a result.

Engineering Perspective

Engineers, as previously mentioned in Business Insider, stated that the collapse was not a result of any construction oversights in the bridge. Instead, it was attributed to the sheer force of the massive cargo ship, making the collapse unavoidable given the circumstances.

The tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks faced by construction workers and the importance of safety measures in high-risk environments like bridge construction sites.

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By: hgetahun@insider.com (Hannah Getahun)
Title: Baltimore Construction Company Worker Miraculously Survives Bridge Collapse
Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/1-worker-survived-bridge-collapse-construction-company-says-2024-3
Published Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2024 00:28:44 +0000