Explosives To Free Ship From Key Bridge Debris This Weekend: Watch Video Of Plan

BALTIMORE, MD — Controlled explosives will soon be used to free the ship trapped under the Francis Scott Key Bridge wreckage.

A media invitation to watch the detonation said reporters must arrive at the staging area around dinnertime on Saturday. The date and time are subject to change.

A hunk of steel truss still lies atop the bow of the Dali, the container ship that toppled the bridge on March 26. The ensuing Key Bridge collapse killed six road workers. The nearly 1,000-foot ship still blocks the deep-water channel into the Port of Baltimore, preventing most port activity.

Salvage crews are placing small explosive charges on strategic points of the bridge debris. A controlled and safe demolition will precisely cut the bridge pieces at key points. This will make the hunks of metal easier for cranes to grab and barges to carry ashore.

An animated video demonstrating the plan is posted here.

Once the ship is free of debris, it will be refloated and eventually moved from the Patapsco River channel. Officials still hope to reopen the full channel by the end of May.

The exact timing of the detonation is not yet finalized. It "will depend on multiple environmental and operational factors," a Wednesday press release from the Key Bridge Response Unified Command said.

About half of the charges have been placed, WBAL reported Thursday.

The Dali will be refloated at high tide two days after the detonation following safety inspections, WBAL said.

"We remain focused on restoring the Marine Transportation System, while ensuring the protection of the public and the environment," Capt. David O'Connell, Key Bridge Response federal on-scene coordinator, said in the press release. "By using precision cuts, we reduce risks to our personnel and can safely and efficiently continue clearing the channel for the Port of Baltimore."

Read all of Patch's Key Bridge collapse coverage here.

Sound from the detonation will last two to five seconds. It will be no louder than a fireworks show.

Hearing protection is required within 2,000 yards of the ship. The Key Bridge Response Unified Command coordinated with the Maryland Department of Emergency Management to issue a cellular notification beforehand to nearby communities.

Officials "highly discouraged" gathering to watch the detonation. The Maryland State Police and allied law enforcement agencies will patrol the perimeter.

"There is a small portion of the noise radius that includes land over the industrial portions of Hawkins Point," said Chief Petty Officer Nicholas Carr, Key Bridge Response Unified Command safety officer. "We are ensuring workers in the area have advanced notice of the plan."

Attention will then turn toward rebuilding the bridge. Officials estimated that the new crossing will open by fall 2028 and cost up to $1.9 billion.

Related:

• Last Key Bridge Victim's Body Found In Baltimore Wreckage: Officials
• Dali 'Unseaworthy' Baltimore Says Of Ship Owner In Key Bridge Crash
• Channel Partially Reopens, 200-Ton Tool Joins Key Bridge Cleanup
• 'You're Alive': Baker Among Last Drivers On Key Bridge Before Collapse
• Biden Views Key Bridge Collapse: 'Your Nation Has Your Back'
• Jobs In Limbo, Supply Chain Resilient After Baltimore Bridge Collapse
• 'I Didn't Think It Was Real': Residents React To Key Bridge Collapse