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Explosives to free ship from bridge wreckage, crew to stay on
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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
First on WBAL: Explosives to free Dali from Key Bridge wreckage, crew
will shelter in place on board
Updated: 12:18 PM EDT May 8, 2024
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: Unified Command releases
simulation video to explain precision cuts demolitionHodges 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.Video below: Largest crane, claw removing Key Bridge wreckage
(April 30)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.
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: Unified Command releases simulation video to explain
precision cuts demolition_**
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.
** _Video below: Largest crane, claw removing Key Bridge wreckage_**
(April 30)
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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