A carefully orchestrated demolition was undertaken to dismantle a significant steel section of a collapsed bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. The operation was aimed at dislodging the cargo ship Dali, which collided with and destroyed the bridge in March, from beneath the fallen structure. Mayor Brandon M Scott expressed gratitude to the demolition crew in a statement posted on social media platform X on Monday, praising their "flawless, safe execution of these precision cuts," as reported by Xinhua news agency. He emphasised that the demolition was crucial as for the ongoing efforts to clear the channel. Significant milestone achieved tonight with controlled explosives successfully detonated helping to break apart the bridge and start to free the Dali vessel. Incredible work by the entire Unified Command. @USACEBaltimore @USCG pic.twitter.com/vkNZf039cz — Port of Baltimore (@portofbalt) May 13, 2024 Inclement weather led to the postponement of the demolition twice, with the operation finally proceeding on Monday evening. The Key Bridge Response Unified Command, responsible for coordinating response efforts to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, explained that the safest and the most efficient method to remove the bridge piece atop the M/V Dali involved precision cuts using small charges. This controlled demolition technique, standard in the industry, aimed to break the span into smaller pieces, facilitating the vessel's refloating and removal from the federal channel. The 2.6-kilometer-long Francis Scott Key Bridge, a vital structure part of Interstate 695, collapsed on March 26 after being struck by a large container ship experiencing a power failure. Following the incident, eight individuals fell into the water, with two rescued from the Patapsco River, one in critical condition. Tragically, six road maintenance workers lost their lives while reportedly repairing potholes on the bridge. Last Tuesday, officials confirmed the recovery of the sixth and final worker's body, who had been missing since the bridge collapse.
