Baltimore Bridge Collapse

guitars4you

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-us-canada-68663071

Not much I can say 

guitars4you

Early reports of no casualties - Hard to believe that will be the case, but hope it is 

sweepy

Looks as though the bridge was closed and it was team  of workers on the bridge at the time 

WezV

A Baltimore City Fire Department spokesperson has confirmed that the Baltimore bridge collapse is a "mass casualty event".

Sporky

I look forward to the forum demonstrating that seapersonship, civil engineering, and maritime law are among every member's areas of expertise. 

slacker

They need to contact callaham as they make the best bridges.

RocknRollDave

Sporky said:

I look forward to the forum demonstrating that seapersonship, civil engineering, and maritime law are among every member's areas of expertise. 

No need; it’s clearly been faked as a false flag to stir up unrest. The only thing that touched that bridge is Photoshop.

jonnyburgo

Awful disaster. I wonder if it was expected that the whole thing would collapse in this kind of event? 

guitars4you

Sporky said:

I look forward to the forum demonstrating that seapersonship, civil engineering, and maritime law are among every member's areas of expertise. 

Quote from the Beeb - Hardly a technical analysis 

We've just been hearing from Ian Firth, a structural engineer and bridge designer.

He says a heavy ship like the Dali will impart a very large load of many thousands of tonnes when it hits something solid, such as a bridge support.

"The support is a very, relatively, flimsy structure when you look at it, it's a kind of trestle structure with individual legs", he says. "So, the bridge has collapsed simply as a result of this very large impact force."

The vessel should have been going, of course, down the centre of the channel some 350 metres (1,150ft) wide, Firth says, "but for whatever reason it must have strayed off and has hit the support".

ICBM

jonnyburgo said:

Awful disaster. I wonder if it was expected that the whole thing would collapse in this kind of event? 

It’s inevitable - a structure like that is quite finely balanced, if you take away part of it the whole thing comes down.

Looking at photos of it before the collapse it seems remarkable that there was no protection for the piers given that it crosses a major shipping lane.

drofluf

So Emp finally finished his drone boat?

Hootsmon

Awful to watch and reminiscent of Hindenburg. Poor souls

fretmeister

ICBM said:

jonnyburgo said:

Awful disaster. I wonder if it was expected that the whole thing would collapse in this kind of event? 

It’s inevitable - a structure like that is quite finely balanced, if you take away part of it the whole thing comes down.

Looking at photos of it before the collapse it seems remarkable that there was no protection for the piers given that it crosses a major shipping lane.

Yup. It’s designed to be very strong in particular directions and not others as that would cost far too much more.

But the lack of protection for the base is odd. 

VimFuego

I'm no expert, but it seems damn folly to build such a delicate structure all the way out over the water where big ships pass all the time. Much more sensible, IMO, to build it inland well away from all them obvious dangers. This whole thing was an accident waiting to happen, completely needless loss of lives!!!

Reverend

Vote Vim - sensible policies for a happy Britain

Offset

I'm willing to bet that someone, somewhere is already busy drafting a film script.  Jeff Bridges will play Baltimore's fire chief.

Sorry.

RandallFlagg

In the video of the collapse it looks like there were construction workers and their vehicles on the bridge at the time of the collapse, you can see the yellow lights of the vehicles as it collapses.

That must have been horrific for those poor souls.

TTony

said:

A spokesperson for the US Coast Guard told reporters that their primary mission right now is to look "for any survivors in the water".

They have deployed three small boats on the scene, an 87-ft patrol boat, as well as helicopters.

Wiedefeld said there are no confirmed fatalities at this time and also stressed that it is too early in the investigation to know exactly what caused the collapse.

Just a wild guess, but maybe that ship was involved somehow??

guitars4you

I dare say a logistical nightmare now, for all future deliveries, certainly for a while - Even diverting cargo ships to another east coast port doesn't mean they can handle the extra work load, plus have appropriate storage etc

Then goods already either on the harbour side/storage waiting to be loaded/shipped, plus other cargo ships, now 'trapped' and ready to leave 

Believe Baltimore is one of the largest commercial ports on the east coast 

Then how do the unions arrange payment to Baltimore workers with 'nothing' to do 

strtdv

guitars4you said:

Early reports of no casualties - Hard to believe that will be the case, but hope it is 

Current reports are the 7 people working on the bridge at the time of collapse are missing. Given that people can't generally breathe underwater I'd say the wording will be updated shortly to reflect the reality of the situation.

A less comedic title for the thread might be in good taste too

RaymondLin

Whatever insurance company for that boat has...it's going to take a might big hit.