Updated May 14, 2024 - Business

Baltimore crews use explosives to free collapsed bridge from Dali ship

Rebecca Falconer

The Army Corp. of Engineers sets off a controlled demolition to remove wreckage from the Francis Scott Key Bridge off of the cargo ship Dali in the Patapsco River on May 13, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. — The Army Corps of Engineers sets off a controlled demolition to remove wreckage from the Francis Scott Key Bridge off of the cargo ship Dali in the Patapsco River in Baltimore, Maryland, on Monday. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Crews in Baltimore conducted a controlled explosion of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge on Monday that was "flawless," the city's mayor announced.

Why it matters: The Port of Baltimore is one of the busiest in the U.S. and vessel traffic has been restricted since the cargo ship Dali struck the bridge and caused its fatal collapse in March.

Driving the news: Crews including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, used small explosive charges to remove a large section of the bridge from the Dali.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott in a post to X called the action "an important milestone in our effort to clear the channel."
He thanked the Key Bridge Response Unified Command team "for a flawless, safe execution of these precision cuts and for the care you've shown our city during this process."

What's next: "Next steps include assessments and surveys to prepare for re-floating and removing the vessel," per a statement on X posted by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Go deeper: Unpacking the economic fallout from the Baltimore bridge collapse

Editor's note: This article has been updated with a statement by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

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Baltimore crews use explosives to free collapsed bridge from Dali ship

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