FEDERAL RESOURCES THEY NEED AS THEY RESPOND TO THIS EMERGENCY." A PLEDGE TO REBUILD - AFTER A CATASTROPHIC COLLAPSE TAKES A TRAGIC TOLL... TONIGHT, THE SEARCH FOR 6 PEOPLE HAS BEEN CALLED OFF - AFTER A CARGO SHIP SLAMMED INTO A BALTIMORE BRIDGE. AUTHORITIES NOW BELIEVE THE MISSING WORKERS FELL INTO THE WATER - AND DID NOT SURVIVE. THANKS FOR JOINING US LIVE AT 6:30. I'M DALE YURONG. AND I'M VANESSA VASCONCELOS. THE FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE IN THE BALTIMORE AREA - COLLAPSED EARLY THIS MORNING. ACTION NEWS REPORTER KATE NEMARICH IS FROM MARYLYAND - AND HAS BEEN TRACKING DEVELOPMENTS THERE ALL DAY LONG. SHE JOINS US LIVE IN STUDIO - WITH WHERE THE INVESTIGATION STANDS NOW. KATE? SO MANY PEOPLE IN MARYLAND ARE IN SHOCK - AFTER SEEING THE BRIDGE ESSENTIALLY DISAPPEAR IN AN INSTANT. THE STATE'S GOVERNOR IS DESCRIBING THE MASSIVE COLLAPSE AS "UNPRECEDENTED". IT HAS SOME QUESTIONING THE ENGINEERING OF THE BRIDGE. NOW LOCAL -- STATE -- AND FEDERAL LEADERS ARE INVESTIGATING HOW THIS HAPPENED. JUST BEFORE 1 A-M TUESDAY -- A CARGO SHIP BEGAN MAKING ITS WAY OUT OF THE BALTIMORE HARBOR -- BY 1:30 A-M THE SHIP HAD LOST POWER -- AND RAMMED INTO ONE OF THE SUPPORT BEAMS FOR THE BRIDGE -- SENDING MOST OF THE 1 POINT 6 MILE LONG STRUCTURE INTO THE WATER -- ALONG WITH THE PEOPLE AND CARS THAT WERE ON IT AT THE TIME. THOSE ON THE BRIDGE WERE BELIEVED TO BE CONTRUCTION WORKERS WHO WERE FILLING POT HOLES -- ACCORDING TO THE MARYLAND'S STATE TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY. RESCUERS PULLED TWO PEOPLE OUT OF THE WATER AFTER THE COLLAPSE -- THE OTHERS STILL MISSING ARE PRESUMED DEAD. THE SHIP'S CREW HAD SENT OUT A MAYDAY CALL MOMENTS BEFORE THE CRASH -- ALLOWING AUTHORITIES TO LIMIT VEHICLE TRAFFIC ONTO THE TOLL BRIDGE. AN ESTIMATED 30 THOUSAND CARS TRAVEL ACROSS THE BRIDGE ON A DAILY BASIS -- HAD THE CRASH HAPPENED JUST HOURS LATER IT WOULD LIKELY HAVE BEEN FILLED WITH MORNING COMMUTERS. THE FBI WAS ON SCENE WITHIN THE HOUR AND STATED THE CRASH WAS NOT TERRORISM. THE COLLAPSE RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT ENGINEERING OF THE BRIDGE -- BUT ONE EXPERT HERE IN CALIFORNIA SAYS BRIDGES CANNOT BE DESIGNED TO TOTALLY PREVENT ACCIDENTS LIKE THIS ONE. HE WEIGHED IN ON THE CONCERNS THAT IMPACT ANYONE WHO TRAVELS OVER BRIDGES ACROSS THE NATION. "BRIDGES ARE DESIGNED FOR A CERTAIN FACTOR OF SAFETY, SO THEY CAN TAKE EARTHQUAKES, THEY CAN TAKE EVEN TYPHOONS, BUT THEY'RE NOT DESIGNED TO BE RAMMED INTO BY A 940 FOOT SHIP." OUR SISTER STATION IN SAN FRANCISCO ALSO ASKED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE ICONIC GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE... WHICH SPANS THE BAY AND IS FREQUENTLY FILLED WITH COMMUTERS AND TOURISTS. ONE LOCAL EXPERT DESCRIBED THE EXTRA RESINFORCEMENT IN PLACE TO KEEP IT FROM COLLAPSING. "THE SOUTH TOWER IS PROTECTED BY A CONCRETE FENDER RING. THE TOWER ITSELF IS ANCHORED TO BEDROCK BELOW THE WATER AND THIS CONCRETE FENDER RING PROTECTS THE ENTIRE SOUTH TOWER PIER. IT IS 27 FEET THICK AT THE BOTTOM AND EXTENDS 40 FEET DOWN." LAST JUNE, FEDERAL INSPECTORS RATED THE FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE IN FAIR CONDITION -- BUT NOTED THE THE STRUCTURE DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE PIER PROTECTION TO WITHSTAND A CRASH. IT REMAINS UNCLEAR WHAT CAUSED THE NEARLY ONE THOUSAND FOOT SHIP TO LOSE POWER. TRAFFIC IN AND OUT OF BALTIMORE PORT HAS BEEN SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY FOLLOWING THE COLLAPSE. BUT IT'S UNCLEAR RIGHT NOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT WILL MEAN FOR THE ECONOMY - AND ANY SHIPMENT DELAYS SINCE THERE ARE OTHER PORTS IN THE AREA WHRE TRAFFIC CAN BE DIVERTED. DALE?
