Authorities are “assessing the results” after charges were set off at a key portion of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Monday evening, officials said, in a planned demolition aimed at freeing the cargo ship Dali from the fallen structure.
Officials are “very pleased” with the demolition but will be conducting surveys with divers to make sure nothing fell and damaged the hull of the cargo vessel, US Army Corps of Engineers Col. Estee Pinchasin told reporters.
A loud explosion rung out and dark plumes of smoke surrounded the wreckage after the charges were set off. A chunk of the collapsed structure appeared to fall away from the ship and into the water, though a portion of wreckage remained on top of the ship, the video showed.
A “tremendous amount of steel” was removed from the Dali, Pinchasin said. Authorities would now examine how the remaining debris sat on the bow of the ship, the colonel said.
The targeted explosion took place just after 5 p.m. ET after inclement weather, including lightning, had forced the operation to be postponed over the weekend.
The demolition, which included using small explosives to break apart a massive chunk of the Baltimore bridge that collapsed on a cargo ship nearly seven weeks ago, was originally set for Saturday, but bad weather forced officials to push the operation to Sunday before it was eventually rescheduled for Monday, the Coast Guard said.
The demolition was expected to ultimately help free the 213-million-pound Dali cargo ship, which veered off course March 26 and struck a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the bridge to fall into the Patapsco River below...
The shipping channel is expected to be fully opened by the end of the month. A masterful job by all concerned. Here's the video from Nathan Ellgren, AP:
