MISSING CONSTRUCTION WORKERS. NEW DETAILS NOW. IN A BREAKING NEWS STORY, 11 NEWS INVESTIGATES WAS FIRST TO REPORT THIS AFTERNOON. WE HAVE LEARNED THAT UNIFIED COMMAND WILL USE EXPLOSIVES TO REMOVE PORTIONS OF THE KEY BRIDGE FROM THE BOW OF THE DOLLY, AND THE CREW OF THE DOLLY WILL STAY ON BOARD THE SHIP DURING THAT DETONATION. THAT’S RIGHT. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER TOLLY TAYLOR JOINS US IN THE STUDIO, AND TOLLY UNIFIED COMMAND COMPARED THIS TO ANOTHER DEMOLITION THAT USED EXPLOSIVES JUST LAST YEAR. YEAH. UNIFIED COMMAND TELLS ME THAT IN ORDER TO FREE THE DOLLY FROM THE KEY BRIDGE WRECKAGE, THE NEED TO USE PRECISION EXPLOSIVES LIKE THE ONES USED HERE TO DEMOLISH PART OF THE HISTORIC HARRY NICE BRIDGE IN MARE. IN MARCH 2023. A LARGE PORTION OF THE BRIDGE’S TRUSS FELL ON THE SHIP WHEN THE BRIDGE COLLAPSED IN MARCH, PINNING THE SHIP TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PATAPSCO RIVER. THE UNIFIED COMMAND HAS BEEN USING A GIANT HYDRAULIC CLAW AND PRECISION CUTTING TOOLS TO REMOVE AS MUCH OF THE WRECKAGE AS POSSIBLE, BUT TO CLEAR A 45 FOOT DEEP CHANNEL FOR LARGER SHIPS. UNIFIED COMMAND SAYS EXPLOSIVES ARE NOW NECESSARY, AND A SPOKESPERSON SAYS THAT THE HARRY NICE BRIDGE IS A GOOD COMPARISON. YOU CAN SEE THAT A COUPLE THINGS WITH THE EXPLOSIVE STICK OUT HERE. ONE, IT’S A VERY CONTROLLED OPERATION WITH WHAT LOOKS LIKE A LIMITED BLAST RADIUS AND TWO, THE PIECES OF THE BRIDGE COLLAPSE STRAIGHT DOWN. THEY’RE NOT FLYING IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON, WE ASKED GOVERNOR WES MOORE WHY EXPLOSIVES ARE BEING USED AND WHY THE CREW OF THE DOLLY IS STAYING ON BOARD THE SHIP DURING THE DETONATION. WHAT THEY’RE DOING ARE BEST PRACTICES AND AND HISTORIC BEST PRACTICES. AND THE WAY YOU REMOVE LARGE AMOUNTS OF STEEL AND WE KNOW THAT AS SOON AS THAT OPERATION, THAT PRECISION CUTTING IS DONE, THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO REMOVE THAT STEEL FROM THE WATER, TO SAFELY REFLOAT THE DOLLY AND TO REOPEN UP THE FEDERAL CHANNEL. AND I’LL JUST I’LL JUST ADD ON THAT JUST REALLY QUICKLY THAT WE HAVE TO REMIND IT THAT THIS TEAM FROM UNIFIED COMMAND, THEY ARE THANKING ALL OF THESE SCENARIOS THROUGH. THEY’RE DOING EVERYTHING WITH THE SAFETY OF EVERYBODY INVOLVED, FROM THE FOLKS DOING THE PRECISION CUTTING TO THE FOLKS ON THE DOLLY AND ALL THE SUPPORTIVE FOLKS THERE. AND A SPOKESPERSON ADDED THAT UNIFIED COMMAND DETERMINED THAT THE CREW OF THE DOLLY CAN SAFELY SHELTER IN PLACE ON THE SHIP. THEY SAY A PRESS RELEASE WILL BE SENT OUT ABOUT 48 HOURS PRIOR TO EXPLOSIVES BEING USED. A SEPARATE SOURCE TELLS ME IT’S A MULTI DAY PROCESS TO RIG THE NECESSARY EXPLOSIVES, AND THAT SOURCE SAYS THE BIGGEST FACTORS IN DECIDING WHEN TO USE THE EXPLOSIVES ARE THE TIDES, THE WEATHER AND THE SAFETY CO
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First on WBAL: Explosives to free Dali from Key Bridge wreckage, crew will shelter in place on board
Tolly Taylor
Reporter
Unified Command will use explosive charges to free the Dali container ship from the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, and the ship's crew will shelter in place on board while the explosives are detonated, 11 News Investigates has learned. When detonated, the explosives will separate a large portion of the bridge's truss that's lying on top of the Dali's bow, according to Unified Command's Petty Officer Ronald Hodges.Unified Command has determined the crew can safely stay on board the Dali and does not need to evacuate prior to detonation, Hodges said. Hodges said he could not say where the crew would be kept on the ship while the explosives are set off.Earlier Tuesday, Gov. Wes Moore and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott were asked why explosives are being used and why the Dali's crew will stay on board the ship during detonation."What they're doing are best practices and historic best practices, and the way that you remove large amounts of steel," Moore said. "We know that as soon as that operation, that precision cutting is done, then we also have the tools to be able to remove that steel from the water, to safely refloat the Dali, and to reopen up the federal channel.""This team from Unified Command, they're thinking all of these scenarios through and doing everything with the safety of everybody involved, from the folks doing the precision cutting to the folks on the Dali, and all the supportive folks there," Scott said.Placing the precision explosives on the truss is a multiday process, a source told 11 News Investigates. The source said the day and time of the explosion will depend on weather, tides and safety conditions. Video below: Largest crane, claw removing Key Bridge wreckage (April 30)Hodges said a press release will be sent out 48 hours prior to the planned demolition, with media invited to observe. The explosives will be similar to those used to demolish the historic Gov. Harry W. Nice Bridge in March 2023, Hodges said. The Nice Bridge is a good comparison in that it was a very controlled operation with what appeared to be a limited blast radius. Also, the pieces of the bridge collapsed straight down as opposed to flying into different directions.Unified Command has been using a giant hydraulic claw and precision-cutting tools to remove as much of the wreckage as possible.On April 30, the Port of Baltimore sent out a press release setting May 10 as the target date to remove the truss, refloat the Dali and open a 45-foot deep channel to ship traffic. The port also said a permanent 700-foot wide, 50-foot deep channel would be open by the end of May. The Dali struck the Key Bridge in the early morning of March 26, causing a large portion of the bridge to collapse into the Patapsco River and killing six construction workers. Crews on Tuesday recovered the sixth victim's body.
BALTIMORE —
Unified Command will use explosive charges to free the Dali container ship from the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, and the ship's crew will shelter in place on board while the explosives are detonated, 11 News Investigates has learned.
When detonated, the explosives will separate a large portion of the bridge's truss that's lying on top of the Dali's bow, according to Unified Command's Petty Officer Ronald Hodges.
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Unified Command has determined the crew can safely stay on board the Dali and does not need to evacuate prior to detonation, Hodges said. Hodges said he could not say where the crew would be kept on the ship while the explosives are set off.
Earlier Tuesday, Gov. Wes Moore and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott were asked why explosives are being used and why the Dali's crew will stay on board the ship during detonation.
"What they're doing are best practices and historic best practices, and the way that you remove large amounts of steel," Moore said. "We know that as soon as that operation, that precision cutting is done, then we also have the tools to be able to remove that steel from the water, to safely refloat the Dali, and to reopen up the federal channel."
"This team from Unified Command, they're thinking all of these scenarios through and doing everything with the safety of everybody involved, from the folks doing the precision cutting to the folks on the Dali, and all the supportive folks there," Scott said.
Placing the precision explosives on the truss is a multiday process, a source told 11 News Investigates. The source said the day and time of the explosion will depend on weather, tides and safety conditions.
Video below: Largest crane, claw removing Key Bridge wreckage (April 30)
Hodges said a press release will be sent out 48 hours prior to the planned demolition, with media invited to observe.
The explosives will be similar to those used to demolish the historic Gov. Harry W. Nice Bridge in March 2023, Hodges said. The Nice Bridge is a good comparison in that it was a very controlled operation with what appeared to be a limited blast radius. Also, the pieces of the bridge collapsed straight down as opposed to flying into different directions.
Unified Command has been using a giant hydraulic claw and precision-cutting tools to remove as much of the wreckage as possible.
On April 30, the Port of Baltimore sent out a press release setting May 10 as the target date to remove the truss, refloat the Dali and open a 45-foot deep channel to ship traffic. The port also said a permanent 700-foot wide, 50-foot deep channel would be open by the end of May.
The Dali struck the Key Bridge in the early morning of March 26, causing a large portion of the bridge to collapse into the Patapsco River and killing six construction workers. Crews on Tuesday recovered the sixth victim's body.
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