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'Dire emergency': Ship strikes Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing partial collapse [abc30.com]:

BALTIMORE, Md. -- A container ship struck Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday, causing a partial collapse and sending vehicles and people into the water, officials in Maryland said.

"I can confirm at 1:35 a.m., Baltimore City police were notified of a partial bridge collapse, with workers possibly in the water, at the Francis Scott Key Bridge," the Baltimore Police Department said in a statement.

The Maryland Transportation Authority said the collapse occurred "due to ship strike."

The vessel appears to have hit one of the supports of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the roadway to break apart in several places and plunge into the water, according to a video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. The ship caught fire and appeared to sink.

Multiple vehicles plunged from the bridge at the time of the collapse, the Baltimore City Fire Department said. Divers were searching for least seven people in the water, the department said.

The bridge, which is part of Interstate 695, opened in 1977 and crosses the Patapsco River in Baltimore's harbor. It is a vital artery, that along with the Port of Baltimore, is a hub for shipping on the East Coast.

It is named for the writer of "The Star-Spangled Banner."

"This is a dire emergency," Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told The Associated Press. "Our focus right now is trying to rescue and recover these people."

He added that some cargo appeared to be dangling from the bridge.

Emergency responders were searching for at least seven people believed to be in the water, Cartwright said, though he said it's too early to know how many people were affected. He called the collapse a "developing mass casualty event."

He said agencies received 911 calls around 1:30 a.m. reporting that a ship leaving Baltimore had struck a column on the bridge. Several vehicles were on the bridge at the time, including one the size of a tractor-trailer truck.

Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. posted that emergency personnel were responding and rescue efforts were underway.

"All lanes closed both directions for incident on I-695 Key Bridge," MDTA officials said in a statement at about 2 a.m. on Tuesday. "Traffic is being detoured."

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News and The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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