Maryland’s Key Bridge collapses after being struck by large container ship as astonishing footage shows the 1.6-mile long structure crashing into river amid fears of mass casualty event

A 9,000-foot bridge in Maryland collapsed after being hit by a container ship.

Stunning images show the moment the ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, sending the colossal steel structure into the Patapsco River, shortly before 1:30 a.m. ET.

There were no immediate reports of casualties, but there appeared to be traffic on the bridge at the time of the disaster.

Baltimore City Fire PIO confirmed that rescue crews were trying to save at least seven people believed to be in the river, according to the local radio station. WBAL.

A live broadcast showed the disaster unfold, with the ship crashing into a pile supporting the central part of the bridge. The road and the steel arches immediately fall into the water.

There appeared to be an explosion on the container ship when the bridge slammed into the ship.

The ship is reportedly the Dali, a Singapore-flagged container that could be seen on ship-tracking websites placed under the bridge after the accident.

Several boats marked as Coast Guard search and rescue vessels surrounded the ship around 3 a.m. ET.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Maryland Transportation Authority confirmed the accident but did not provide further details.

The 1.6-mile bridge, part of I-695, crosses the Patapsco River at the Port of Baltimore. Built in 1977, the 1,200-foot truss bridge main span is the third-longest span of any continuous truss in the world.

The structure transports around 12 million vehicles each year.