there are several people in the water

A container ship crashed into a major bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, causing the infrastructure to break in several places and fall into the water. Several vehicles plunged into the cold waters of the river and rescuers were searching for at least seven people.

Two people were rescued from the river, one of them in serious condition, according to Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace. Authorities “could be looking for more than seven people,” he said, adding that the number could vary. It was not clear if the two rescued were included in those seven.

The boat would have hit one of the pillars of the Francis Scott Key bridge, according to a video published on X, formerly Twitter. The ship caught fire, generating thick black smoke.

“This is a serious emergency,” Kevin Cartwright, communications director for the Baltimore Fire Department, told The Associated Press. “Right now, our goal is to try to rescue and recover those people.”

The temperature in the river was about eight degrees Celsius (47 degrees Fahrenheit) early Tuesday, according to a buoy that collects data for the Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

According to Cartwright, there appeared to be some cargo hanging from the bridge, which spans the Patapsco River, a vital artery that, along with the Port of Baltimore, is a hub for shipping on the East Coast. Opened in 1977, it was named in honor of the author of the United States anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

They declare a state of emergency

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency and said he was working to mobilize federal forces. The FBI was also present at the scene.

Synergy Marine Group — owner and manager of the vessel, named “Dalí” — confirmed that the freighter collided with a bridge pillar around 1:30 a.m. while under the control of two captains. The crew, including the captains, were located and no injuries were reported.

There were several vehicles on the bridge at the time of impact, including one the size of a tractor-trailer, Cartwright said.

Remnants of the steel structure could be seen protruding from the water from near the entrance to the bridge, and the access ramp ended abruptly where the bridge began.

A merchant ship called “Dalí” was heading from Baltimore to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, as its last destination, according to the maritime traffic monitoring websites Marine Traffic and Vessel Finder. The cargo ship was sailing under the Singapore flag, radio station WTOP reported, citing Matthew West, a Coast Guard petty officer in Baltimore.

Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. posted on social media that emergency crews were in the area and a rescue operation was underway.

“All lanes in both directions are closed due to an incident on the I-695 Key Bridge. Traffic is being diverted,” explained the Maryland Transportation Authority in X.

In 2001, a freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in a tunnel in downtown Baltimore and caught fire, dumping black smoke into nearby neighborhoods and forcing authorities to temporarily close all major entrances to the city.