Shocking new footage from ship that destroyed Baltimore bridge reveals scale of ... trends now
The largest crane in the eastern US arrived in Baltimore today for the multimillion dollar clean-up of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse as the first footage emerged from on board the vessel which caused the disaster.
The towering crane is crucial to the meticulous task of lifting the enormous pieces of debris from around the Dali cargo ship so it can be moved before the waterway is reopened.
Footage from on board the ship, released by investigators from the National Transportation Safety Bureau, reveals the extend of the damage wrought to the enormous vessel.
A large section of the collapsed bridge tore into the ship's bow, leaving a hazardous mess of twisted and jagged metal. Several of the containers were destroyed and other debris, including concrete and barrels, is strewn across parts of the deck.
The recovery and clear-up work is taking place while four workers who were on the bridge during the collapse remain missing.
Footage from on board the ship, released on Thursday night by investigators from the National Transportation Safety Bureau, reveals the extend of the damage wrought to Dali after it caused the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore
A large section of the collapsed bridge tore into the ship's bow, leaving a hazardous area of twisted and jagged metal
Investigators boarded the ship as part of the probe into what caused the disaster
A destroyed section of the bridge's roadway is seen in images taken from the Dali
Officials estimate the clean-up alone will cost tens of millions of dollars
Officials estimate the clean-up alone will cost tens of millions of dollars. The cost of rebuilding the bridge could be more than $1 billion, according to estimates.
The work is taking place while Dali's crew remains on board the vessel. They could be forced to remain there for several weeks while enough debris is removed to safely bring the vessel back into berth.
The crane that can lift 1,000 tons — described as the largest on the Eastern Seaboard — had been expected to arrive late Thursday, and a second that can lift 400 tons should arrive Saturday, officials said earlier.
They will be used to clear the channel of the twisted metal and concrete remnants of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, as well as the cargo ship.
Divers had already recovered the bodies of two men from a pickup truck in the Patapsco River, but the nature and placement of the debris has complicated efforts to find the four workers still missing and presumed dead.
Investigators assess the damage caused to Dali as part of efforts to clean up the scene and remove the ship
The largest crane in the eastern US arrived in Baltimore today for the multimillion dollar clean-up of the Francis Key Bridge collapse as the first footage emerged from on board the vessel which caused the disaster
'The divers can put their hands on that faceplate, and they can't even see their hands,' said Donald Gibbons, an instructor with Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Technical Centers.
'So we say zero visibility. It's very similar to locking yourself in a dark closet on a dark night and really not being able to see anything.'
Divers must cut up debris to remove it, Gibbons said, likening it to playing pick-up sticks, since items at the bottom can't move without disturbing the whole pile.
'So we use underwater burning and underwater cutting solutions to help make those pieces smaller so that when we do cut them away, we're not affecting the entire pile,' said Gibbons, who is not involved in the Baltimore effort.
Baltimoreans made morning stops at vantage points to watch for the cranes. Ronald Hawkins, who is 71 and could see the bridge from his home, recalled watching its construction in 1972. It opened in 1977.
Now, with sadness, he stopped by an overlook, seeking closure.
'I'm going to come up here
