Bodycam video from Maryland Department of Natural Resources officers provides a firsthand account of the chaos and devastation in the aftermath of the Key Bridge collapse.
On March 26, 2024, the 984-foot Sri Lanka-bound Dali container ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse into the Patapsco River beneath. Six construction workers lost their lives in the tragedy.
Bodycam video from Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officers, obtained by Fox News Digital, captures the confusion and shock of the first responders who witnessed the aftermath of the disaster.
When DNR officers arrived at the scene around 2:30 a.m., they were unaware of the extent of the damage. "How long have you guys been on the scene?," one DNR officer asked a law enforcement official. "Well over an hour. We got one out of the water. There’s supposed to be another four, somewhere, but they were all in a vehicle that went down, so we can’t get them," the official replied.
By 3:15 a.m., a DNR officer had pulled up next to the Dali and spoke to a crew member. The crew member confirmed that one person had sustained an injury to their hand during the crash but said that the pilot had already called for help.
As the sun began to rise, the camera footage captured first responders struggling to determine how many victims were in the water. "We’ve heard various numbers. We’re not sure," one person responded.
One DNR officer described the scene as "f-----g bad." "Like, there is no bridge. Like, there is no bridge." He added, "It’s like, are you kidding me? It’s like, something’s missing here on the skyline… the whole center span is gone completely. It’s in the water."
Another conversation captured between two officers questioned not just the message from the boat five minutes before crashing into the bridge, but also what the disaster could mean for Baltimore. "Why the… five minutes out and you said you’re going to hit," the first officer said. The second officer suggested the captain could have dropped an anchor or something to prevent the massive vessel from striking the bridge.
"This is catastrophic," one of the men said. "The infrastructure of Baltimore is going to take a hit," the other said.
Since the bridge collapsed, six bodies have been pulled from the submerged rubble. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore announced last month that the state will establish a scholarship for the families of transportation workers who die on the job.
