Federal authorities have launched an investigation into the events that preceded the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
The investigation, which appears to be separate from the ongoing National Transportation Safety Board probe, is being conducted by the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI, entities that have had representatives at the crash site for weeks.
The FBI currently has agents on the Dali, the shipping vessel that collided with the bridge. Six people died after the collision.
"FBI is present aboard the cargo ship Dali conducting court authorized law enforcement activity,” a spokesperson for the FBI said Monday in a statement. “There is no other public information available and we will have no further comment."
"My office generally will not confirm the existence of or otherwise comment about investigations,” Erek Barron, Maryland U.S. attorney, said in a statement. “However, the public should know, whether it's gun violence, civil rights abuse, financial fraud, or any other threat to public safety or property, we will seek accountability for anyone who may be responsible."
The probe comes as Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announced Monday that the city would be taking legal steps to address the bridge collapse.
“The City of Baltimore will take decisive action to hold responsible all entities accountable for the Key Bridge tragedy, including the owner, charterer, manager/operator, and the manufacturer of the M/V Dali, as well as any other potentially liable third parties,” the mayor said in a statement.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed around 1:30 a.m. on March 26 after the Dali, a massive Singaporean-flagged cargo ship, crashed into a bridge column. According to the NTSB, the ship made mayday calls saying they lost power at 1:26 a.m. and a collision might be possible.
Records from 911 indicated that officials asked police to block traffic on either side of the bridge shortly before the collision, with two emergency responders confirming traffic had been stopped on the north and south sides of the bridge.
Eight construction workers were still on the bridge. Two were injured and survived, while bodies of two others were recovered. The other two are presumed dead.
Attorneys representing two of the dead workers and one who survived are also conducting an independent investigation into the crash.
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Source: CBS News, The New York Post
