3/26/24 Baltimore MD Bridge Collapse

Joined
Mar 30, 2023
Messages
436
Sadly, as of yesterday evening. This is no longer a rescue mission, it is a recovery. The six workers are presumed dead.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2022
Messages
238
Thats really great video of the site and vessel. Lots to digest there, but my immediate thought is once the recovery is completed how on earth are they going to get the bridge off the ship? There are only a handful of cranes with lifting power capable of lifting that wreckage up enough for the vessel to be pulled back, and thats assuming the wreckage is anywhere near stable for such an operation. I guess the other option would be to cut through the steel with torches to get it down to liftable chunks but then you risk setting the contents of the smashed containers on fire along with all the rest of the stack. That option also comes with a huge amount of risk of the structure collapsing or falling over.

It'll be quite the salvage job, thats for sure. I would bet Weeks Marine and Donjon are burning up phone lines to the US Army Corps right now. Donjon still has the Left Coast Lifter sitting at Caddells on Staten Island I believe.
 
Joined
Mar 30, 2023
Messages
436
Thats really great video of the site and vessel. Lots to digest there, but my immediate thought is once the recovery is completed how on earth are they going to get the bridge off the ship? There are only a handful of cranes with lifting power capable of lifting that wreckage up enough for the vessel to be pulled back, and thats assuming the wreckage is anywhere near stable for such an operation. I guess the other option would be to cut through the steel with torches to get it down to liftable chunks but then you risk setting the contents of the smashed containers on fire along with all the rest of the stack. That option also comes with a huge amount of risk of the structure collapsing or falling over.

It'll be quite the salvage job, thats for sure. I would bet Weeks Marine and Donjon are burning up phone lines to the US Army Corps right now. Donjon still has the Left Coast Lifter sitting at Caddells on Staten Island I believe.
They might deconstruct what's left of the bridge piece by piece.
 
Joined
Jun 27, 2017
Messages
1,020
Due the city and county share a firehouse or is it just a coincident that both companies were # 57?
Baltimore City Engine 57 organized on August 31, 1923 at Pennington Avenue and Filbert Street. It has always been a quiet place, but when they get a job it's going to six alarms. And after 10 and 35 get in, it'll be lonely for a while.

When the Bethlehem Steel Mill in Sparrows Point closed for good in 2012, Baltimore County took over the old company fire department and now have a station on Sparrows Point Blvd, with the County Training Academy. 57 just happened to be the next number in line.
 
Joined
May 11, 2022
Messages
392
Here is the radio traffic from the Baltimore County's end. There is quite a bit of confusion on the part of some of the companies as to where to go to launch the boats as many of them were sent away from the bridge and to nearby Turner Station Park to launch the boats.

 
Joined
May 11, 2022
Messages
392
Does anyone have the company run down?
Here's what I could gather from dispatch audio:
Baltimore City: Engine 57, Engine 13, Engine 35, Engine 50, Ladder 6, Ladder 21, Squad 26, Squad 54, Squad 40, Rescue Boat 1, Rescue Boat 2, HazMat 1, Medic 9, Medic 2, Medic 20, EMS 6, EMS 1, Battalion 1, Battalion 6, EMS Battalion, Dive Coordinator, Safety 4, Car 1, Car 5

Baltimore County: Engine 57, Engine 6, Engine 9, Engine 16, Tower 17, Squad 213, Squad 262, USAR 17, Marine 217, Marine 219, Marine 269, Swift Water 35, Swift Water 48, Swift Water 17, Dive 748, MET 26, MET 21, Utility 17, Special Operations Response Team (SORT) 50, Rehab 20, Canteen 20, Medic 8, Medic 13, Medic 6, Medic 15, Medic 9, Medic 58, EMS 6, EMS 7, EMS 4, EMS 1, Safety 1, Safety 2, Safety 3, Battalion 31, Chief 2

Hartford County: Special Ops 89, Swift Water 8, Swift Water 15-1, Swift Water 15-2
Anne Arundel County: Boat 19
Prince George's County: Engine 855B, Engine 841, Mass Casualty 841, Mass Casualty 855, EMS 800, Chief 855
 
Joined
Sep 25, 2013
Messages
859
Baltimore City Engine 57 organized on August 31, 1923 at Pennington Avenue and Filbert Street. It has always been a quiet place, but when they get a job it's going to six alarms. And after 10 and 35 get in, it'll be lonely for a while.

When the Bethlehem Steel Mill in Sparrows Point closed for good in 2012, Baltimore County took over the old company fire department and now have a station on Sparrows Point Blvd, with the County Training Academy. 57 just happened to be the next number in line.
Baltimore City Engine 57 organized on August 31, 1923 at Pennington Avenue and Filbert Street. It has always been a quiet place, but when they get a job it's going to six alarms. And after 10 and 35 get in, it'll be lonely for a while.

When the Bethlehem Steel Mill in Sparrows Point closed for good in 2012, Baltimore County took over the old company fire department and now have a station on Sparrows Point Blvd, with the County Training Academy. 57 just happened to be the next number in line.
Engine 10 was disbanded in 1986 when they were combined with Ladder 28 as Aerial Tower 128, later as Engine 128. 128 was disbanded in 2000 and the house was closed.

Bethlehem Steel Corp had its own fire department until 1987, numbered as Company 51 in Baltimore County. Baltimore County assumed coverage of the area and assigned their career engine as Engine 57.
 
Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Messages
3,980
Baltimore's Box 414 Association RAC unit also responded and stayed on scene for 18 hours before returning to quarters for refueling, restocking, and maybe a few hours of sleep . . . with plans for another 12 hours today.
 

Attachments

  • 1.jpg
    1.jpg
    238.8 KB · Views: 9
Joined
Jun 27, 2017
Messages
1,020
Engine 10 was disbanded in 1986 when they were combined with Ladder 28 as Aerial Tower 128, later as Engine 128. 128 was disbanded in 2000 and the house was closed.

Bethlehem Steel Corp had its own fire department until 1987, numbered as Company 51 in Baltimore County. Baltimore County assumed coverage of the area and assigned their career engine as Engine 57.
Lol! Thanks Iggy. I was thinking historically. That end of the Sixth Battalion might as well be in Annapolis since the Chief was coming from Light Street in Federal Hill. Now, 57's is even lonelier

Note that Baltimore County Tower 17 is a lot closer to the Mason Dixon Line than the Key Bridge.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Jan 2, 2024
Messages
66
I
Here's what I could gather from dispatch audio:
Baltimore City: Engine 57, Engine 13, Engine 35, Engine 50, Ladder 6, Ladder 21, Squad 26, Squad 54, Squad 40, Rescue Boat 1, Rescue Boat 2, HazMat 1, Medic 9, Medic 2, Medic 20, EMS 6, EMS 1, Battalion 1, Battalion 6, EMS Battalion, Dive Coordinator, Safety 4, Car 1, Car 5

Baltimore County: Engine 57, Engine 6, Engine 9, Engine 16, Tower 17, Squad 213, Squad 262, USAR 17, Marine 217, Marine 219, Marine 269, Swift Water 35, Swift Water 48, Swift Water 17, Dive 748, MET 26, MET 21, Utility 17, Special Operations Response Team (SORT) 50, Rehab 20, Canteen 20, Medic 8, Medic 13, Medic 6, Medic 15, Medic 9, Medic 58, EMS 6, EMS 7, EMS 4, EMS 1, Safety 1, Safety 2, Safety 3, Battalion 31, Chief 2

Hartford County: Special Ops 89, Swift Water 8, Swift Water 15-1, Swift Water 15-2
Anne Arundel County: Boat 19
Prince George's County: Engine 855B, Engine 841, Mass Casualty 841, Mass Casualty 855, EMS 800, Chief 855
Rescue 1 on the initial as well. And SOC 5(?) is that what I’m hearing or….
 
Joined
Sep 25, 2013
Messages
859
Anyone know why County Medic 58 is quarted by itself?
Although Baltimore County has a combined fire department, career stations and volunteer stations are separate. In 1992, the County established career Medic 58 on the Back River Neck peninsula, already served by 3 volunteer fire companies, so 58, a career unit, was placed in its own quarters.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Dec 17, 2014
Messages
240
Here's what I could gather from dispatch audio:
Baltimore City: Engine 57, Engine 13, Engine 35, Engine 50, Ladder 6, Ladder 21, Squad 26, Squad 54, Squad 40, Rescue Boat 1, Rescue Boat 2, HazMat 1, Medic 9, Medic 2, Medic 20, EMS 6, EMS 1, Battalion 1, Battalion 6, EMS Battalion, Dive Coordinator, Safety 4, Car 1, Car 5

Baltimore County: Engine 57, Engine 6, Engine 9, Engine 16, Tower 17, Squad 213, Squad 262, USAR 17, Marine 217, Marine 219, Marine 269, Swift Water 35, Swift Water 48, Swift Water 17, Dive 748, MET 26, MET 21, Utility 17, Special Operations Response Team (SORT) 50, Rehab 20, Canteen 20, Medic 8, Medic 13, Medic 6, Medic 15, Medic 9, Medic 58, EMS 6, EMS 7, EMS 4, EMS 1, Safety 1, Safety 2, Safety 3, Battalion 31, Chief 2

Hartford County: Special Ops 89, Swift Water 8, Swift Water 15-1, Swift Water 15-2
Anne Arundel County: Boat 19
Prince George's County: Engine 855B, Engine 841, Mass Casualty 841, Mass Casualty 855, EMS 800, Chief 855
It odd FDNY would have sent like 5 times that amount of equipment on the 10-60 2nd Alarm.
 
Top