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DisasterEconomicsTechnology

The Baltimore bridge collapse

A container ship loses power and takes down a bridge, closing a major American port.

When
Known to
± 30 seconds
Era
Contemporary, Holocene
Where
Baltimore, Maryland, United States · 39.2170° N, 76.5285° W

The Dali struck a support of the Francis Scott Key Bridge at 01:28 on 26 March 2024 after losing electrical power. The crew's mayday gave police just enough time to stop traffic; six roadworkers on the span died. The bridge fell in seconds and the Port of Baltimore was closed for eleven weeks, a demonstration of how little redundancy sits behind ordinary supply chains.

Just before

Just after