Officials announced on Sunday afternoon that the planned controlled demolition of the largest remaining steel part of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore has been postponed due to weather conditions.
For weeks, crews have been preparing to use explosives to break down the span, which measures about 500 feet long and weighs up to 600 tons.
The bridge collapsed after the Dali lost power and struck one of its support columns shortly after leaving Baltimore, causing the span to land on the ship’s bow. Since then, the ship has remained stuck amidst the debris, leading to the closure of Baltimore’s busy port for most maritime traffic.
Due to lightning and rising tides in the area on Sunday, officials decided to reschedule the demolition, tentatively setting it for Monday evening.
Remnants of the collapsed bridge (Tom Brennan/Getty Images)
Six members of a roadwork crew tragically lost their lives in the collapse on March 26. The last of their bodies was recovered from the underwater wreckage just last week. All the victims were Latino immigrants who had come to the U.S. seeking job opportunities. They were working overnight to fill potholes when the bridge gave way.
The planned demolition is aimed at refloating the Dali and guiding it back into the Port of Baltimore. Once the ship is removed, normal maritime traffic can resume, bringing relief to thousands of longshoremen, truckers, and small business owners affected by the port’s closure.
During the detonation of explosives, the Dali’s 21-member crew will remain onboard the ship.
