The Key Bridge Collapse: Featured Coverage
Early in the morning on March 26, 2024, a container ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing a fatal collapse and disrupting access to the Port of Baltimore. In the days and weeks that followed, as the local community reeled and responded, Maryland lawmakers and federal officials worked to avert economic collapse.
Capital News Service journalists were among the first to arrive on the morning of the collapse, with digital, broadcast and social media journalists on the scene to deliver some of the very first reports for our audience of Marylanders. CNS was still on the story in the following months and even a year later, digging into the clean-up, recovery and response by elected officials.
Baltimore’s Key Bridge collapses after ship collision
Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed when it was struck by a container ship. The crew of the ship alerted authorities they had a “power issue” on board shortly before the collision.
The history of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge
Here’s what you should know about Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, including its history, construction, traffic and impact of its collapse.
Key Bridge’s collapse adds to list of U.S. bridge disasters
There were 18 major bridge collapses due to a ship or barge collision in the United States from 1960 to 2015, according to a 2018 report from the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure.
Distress call precedes disaster at Baltimore bridge
A container ship leaving the Port of Baltimore sounded a mayday call just before plowing into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the early morning hours Tuesday.
State lawmakers rush to respond to bridge collapse
The General Assembly is quickly approaching an end-of-session deadline but lawmakers are still scrambling to introduce legislation in response to this week’s collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
A week after the Key Bridge collapse, residents begin recovery in ways big and small
The collapse is changing the lives of many people in the surrounding area.
Maryland’s labor shortage may mean a lack of skilled workers for the Key Bridge rebuild
Despite Maryland’s low unemployment rates, employers are struggling to fill job vacancies and the workforce’s blue-collar sector is especially stressed. Job seekers lack the specialized skills demanded by the market, which could make it challenging to find qualified local workers for the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, according to economists.
Reeling from bridge collapse, lawmakers scrambled to get other business done
Maryland state lawmakers managed to pass several key measures that look beyond the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and ahead to the future.
More than 1,000 small businesses seek aid amid Baltimore Port closure
More than 1,000 small businesses have sought emergency federal loans to stay afloat following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and closure of much of the Port of Baltimore, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Baltimore Port closure creates uncertainty for businesses
The magnitude of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and the closure of the Port of Baltimore is beginning to sink in for business owners in Baltimore.
Video
Live coverage, March 26, 2024 (0:00 to 4:45):
Baltimore residents share their stories of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after its collapse
Commuters who narrowly avoided its collapse look back on the tragedy, while community members say how life has changed.
Maryland emergency bill would provide financial support for port workers after Key Bridge collapse
Maryland legislators are advancing an emergency bill to provide financial assistance for workers whose jobs are affected by the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge over the Port of Baltimore.
On social
@cnsmaryland Maryland resident Daphne Arthur describes what it was like crossing the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore just minutes before its collapse. Hear more local responses to the incident at cnsmaryland.org #fyp #maryland #baltimore #bridgecollapse #keybridge #francisscottkeybridge ♬ original sound - Capital News Service
One year later
Maryland grants help businesses avoid debt after Key Bridge collapse
Baltimore averted economic crisis one year after Key Bridge collapse
Maryland leaders feared an economic catastrophe after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed. However, those fears largely never became reality.
How the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse is reshaping daily life in Baltimore
When the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed, it didn’t just disrupt traffic, it altered the daily routines of countless Maryland residents.