State of Emergency Declared Following Bridge Collapse

Plus: DEI Mandate’s Negative Impact on Apprenticeship Work

State of Emergency Declared Following Bridge Collapse

Governor Wes Moore of Maryland declared a state of emergency following the catastrophic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore when a cargo ship from Singapore struck the bridge, prompting a swift and thorough response from state and federal authorities. The Epoch Times reported that the immediate priority was rescuing survivors, with extensive search and rescue operations involving multiple agencies. At the time I’m writing, no cars were involved in search and rescue efforts and all six presumed casualties and two treated for injuries were from a construction crew on the bridge.

Fox News reported:

[NTSB Chair Jennifer] Homendy told reporters she was not aware of the bridge being flagged for safety deficiencies in the past, though the investigation will look into that. She also said, though, that the investigation in the bridge’s history could take at least two years and will not be verified on the scene.

Still, Homendy said there was not a lot of information to provide at the time of the presser, as she and her team only just got there.

“Really, the focus is on the families,” she said.

Investigations into the incident, including potential causes like a power outage on the cargo ship, are ongoing. Fox News also reported, “The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has offered to send a team to help with the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation into the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday morning.”

LIVE UPDATES: Six workers at collapse presumed dead, construction exec says (New York Post)

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