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Biden calls Baltimore bridge collapse 'terrible accident'

Published Mar 27, 2024 12:00 am

WASHINGTON, United States - the collapse of a Baltimore bridge a "terrible accident," and pledged to get the major East Coast port up and running as soon as possible after a cargo ship struck one of the span's support pylons.

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TOPSHOT - Part of the steel frame of the Francis Scott Key Bridge sits on top of the container ship Dali after the bridge collapsed in Baltimore, Maryland, on March 26, 2024. The bridge collapsed early March 26 after being struck by the Singapore-flagged Dali container ship, sending multiple vehicles and people plunging into the frigid harbor below. There was no immediate confirmation of the cause of the disaster, but Baltimore's Police Commissioner Richard Worley said there was "no indication" of terrorism. (Photo by Kent Nishimura / AFP)

Biden said he would send "all the federal resources" needed to handle the incident, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday. Six people -- all of them construction workers repairing the Francis Scott Key Bridge -- were missing, authorities said.

"I'm directing my team to move heaven and earth to reopen the port and rebuild the bridge as soon as humanly possible," Biden said in a brief address from the White House, while acknowledging: "This is going to take some time."

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