Early Tuesday, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed following a collision with a large container ship that struck one of its columns after experiencing a power failure, causing vehicles and individuals to plunge into the Patapsco River, as per authorities.

Baltimore City Fire Chief James Wallace informed reporters on Tuesday morning that the situation was characterized as “an active search and rescue operation.” The Coast Guard was involved in the response effort.

“We may be looking for upwards of seven individuals, that’s the latest information we have.” He said.

The search efforts encompassed both the water and the ship’s deck. Chief Wallace mentioned that sonar equipment had identified vehicles submerged in the river, CBS News reported.

He noted that at least two individuals had been rescued from the water, with one person remaining unharmed while another was reported to be in a “very serious” condition.

The injured individual was receiving medical attention at the University of Maryland Medical Center, and as of now, they had not been able to communicate with investigators, according to officials.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency, saying in a statement that “we are working with an interagency team to quickly deploy federal resources from the Biden Administration. We are thankful for the brave men and women who are carrying out efforts to rescue those involved and pray for everyone’s safety.”

Written by B.C. Begley