2,400 feet of boom was used to contain possible toxic materials, Maryland governor says
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March 28, 2024 - Baltimore Key Bridge collapse

By Antoinette Radford, Maureen Chowdhury, Tori B. Powell, Elise Hammond and Aditi Sangal, CNN

Updated 12:00 a.m. ET, March 29, 2024
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7:37 p.m. ET, March 28, 2024

2,400 feet of boom was used to contain possible toxic materials, Maryland governor says

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

Wreckage lies across the deck of the Dali cargo vessel in Baltimore on Wednesday.
Wreckage lies across the deck of the Dali cargo vessel in Baltimore on Wednesday. Mike Segar/Reuters

There have been over 2,400 feet of boom deployed to contain any leaks of pollution in the aftermath of the collapse of the Key Bridge, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said Thursday.

He said he personally did not see any sheen on the water when he went to assess the situation on site.

Remember: 56 containers with hazardous materials were found on the vessel.

There are 14 containers on the ship were impacted, and they contained items like soap and perfume, Coast Guard Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath said at the briefing, adding that he did not have information on whether any of those materials went overboard.

Air monitors are in place to track any potential threats and they have not picked up any threats so far, Gilreath added.

7:24 p.m. ET, March 28, 2024

Baltimore mayor says he remains hopeful bodies of other workers will be recovered

From CNN's Elise Hammond

Baltimore's mayor said he is still "hopeful" the bodies of the other workers presumed dead will be recovered.

Authorities announced on Wednesday they were pausing search and recovery efforts for the four other workers presumed dead because debris made it unsafe for divers to continue. Once this next phase of salvage operations is complete and the debris is cleared, divers will search for more remains.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said that during the salvage operation, he hopes "we are able to recover those who remain missing and bring them home to their families.

The mayor said he directed his administration to work with the governor’s office “on any and every effort that must be taken.”

7:20 p.m. ET, March 28, 2024

Army Corps of Engineers will bear the full cost of clearing the channel, Sen. Chris Van Hollen says

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen speaks at a press conference Thursday.
Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen speaks at a press conference Thursday. CNN

The Army Corps of Engineers will cover the full cost of clearing the channel where Baltimore's Key Bridge collapsed, Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen said Thursday.

"We all recognize that getting the Port of Baltimore running again at full speed is a priority given all the jobs that are associated with it, all the small businesses, all the other businesses," Sen. Van Hollen said at Thursday's news briefing. "And as the governor pointed out, this is not just a Maryland issue, it's a national and global question."
8:38 p.m. ET, March 28, 2024

The largest crane in the Eastern Seaboard is expected to arrive in Baltimore later today, governor says

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

The Army Corps of Engineers is moving the largest crane in the Eastern Seaboard to Baltimore to help clear the channel, and it is expected to arrive Thursday evening, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said.

"Under the leadership of Col. (Estee S.) Pinchasin, the Army Corps is moving the largest crane in the Eastern Seaboard to Baltimore to help us," Moore said at a news conference. "It is estimated that will arrive later this evening."

"It's a 1,000-ton crane coming around midnight," Sen. Chris Van Hollen said at the same news conference. "And another 400-ton crane coming Saturday for the operations to clear the channel."

The post was updated with information about the crane from Sen. Van Hollen.

7:07 p.m. ET, March 28, 2024

Officials are assessing pieces of the bridge before they pull them out of the water, Coast Guard says

From CNN's Elise Hammond

Coast Guard Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath speaks at a press conference Thursday.
Coast Guard Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath speaks at a press conference Thursday. CNN

Officials working to remove the collapsed Key Bridge from the channel are conducting a full assessment of all pieces of debris before they can lift them out of the water, Coast Guard Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath.

This assessment is critical in figuring out how to cut the bridge into the right size pieces so cranes can lift them out, he said.

“We are doing those assessments right now with underwater surveys, with engineering teams back in unified command,” Gilreath said, adding that the assessment is in coordination with several other partners, including the US Army Corp of Engineers.

“That is our number one priority is to reopen the Port of Baltimore as fast as we can, and do it safely,” he added.

7:00 p.m. ET, March 28, 2024

Murky conditions are hindering divers' vision during underwater operations, Maryland governor says 

From CNN's Aditi Sangal

Water conditions are hindering divers' visibility as they conduct recovery operations, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said Thursday.

"That water is so dark, and debris is so dense, that in most instances our divers cannot see more than a foot or two in front of them," Moore said at a news briefing. "So much of the operation is simply feel."
7:07 p.m. ET, March 28, 2024

Governor outlines key directives in months ahead in post-bridge collapse recovery

From CNN's Elise Hammond

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore speaks at a press conference on Thursday.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore speaks at a press conference on Thursday. CNN

Maryland officials are moving at "full speed" to accomplish four main priorities in the days following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, Gov. Wes Moore said Thursday.

Here are the directives mandated by Moore:

  1. Continue to keep a focus on recovery efforts. Moore said it is "our obligation to bring a sense of closure to these families." Officials said they recovered the bodies of two people on Wednesday, but recovery efforts for the four other workers were paused because of unsafe diving conditions.
  2. Open the channel and restart traffic to the port. The governor stressed minimizing economic impacts where possible, saying "the health of the Maryland economy and the national economy depends on it."
  3. Take care of all the people who have been affected by the crisis. This means families of the people presumed dead, the workers, first responders — “that means everybody,” Moore said.
  4. Rebuilding the Key Bridge.

The governor promised to give regular updates on all of these directives but said they will take a long time to accomplish.

"This work will not take hours. This work will not take days. This work will not just take weeks. We have a very long road ahead of us," Moore said.

6:38 p.m. ET, March 28, 2024

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is holding a news conference with updates on Baltimore bridge collapse

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, joined by state and federal officials, is holding a news conference for the latest updates on the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

6:20 p.m. ET, March 28, 2024

Federal government gives Maryland first $60 million toward Key Bridge recovery

From CNN's Greg Wallace

The federal government has given Maryland officials the $60 million requested to cover the first steps of responding to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, according to a Federal Highway Administration news release.

Federal transportation officials said Thursday that Maryland Gov. Wes Moore requested the money as a “down payment” toward cleaning up and rebuilding the bridge, the release said. 

Federal Highway Administration chief Shailen Bhatt said the emergency funding would go toward removing debris, rerouting traffic, and ultimately rebuilding the bridge.

The state can later request additional funding. The state’s congressional delegation said they would press fellow lawmakers to fund the rebuilding project.