Baltimore district commander on 4th channel opening, bridge collapse cleanup

>>> IT HAS BEEN ONE MONTH SINCE THE BALTIMORE BRIDGE COLLAPSED. THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEER IS OPENING ACCESS TO THE POOR. THE FOURTH TEMPORARY CHANNEL IS OPENING AS CREWS REMOVE DEBRIS FROM THE WRECKAGE. TWO VICTIMS OF THE COLLAPSE HAVE NOT BEEN FOUND THE COLONEL JOINS US NOW FROM THE SITE. SHE IS THE BALTIMORE DISTRICT COMMANDER WHOSE LEADING THE SALVAGE EFFORTS FOR THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. >> CAN YOU BRIEFLY DESCRIBE TWO- HOUR VIEWERS WHERE THE CURRENT OPERATIONS STAND ? WHAT ARE YOU DOING AS OF RIGHT NOW ? >> WE JUST REACHED A SIGNIFICANT YET INCREMENTAL MILESTONE WHICH IS TO OPEN A LIMITED ACCESS CHANNEL WITHIN THE NORMAL 50 FOOT FEDERAL CHANNEL THAT SUPPLIES THE COMMERCE ALL THE WAY INTO THE PORT OF BALTIMORE. THEY WILL OPEN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THAT TO ALLOW VESSELS TO COME IN AND OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME FROM THE PORT OF BALTIMORE. AN EXCITING DAY. >> THAT IS GOOD NEWS TO GET THINGS ROLLING. TWO PEOPLE ARE STILL MISSING AMONG THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS WERE KILLED. I IMAGINE WITH THE SALVAGE EFFORT UNDERWAY THIS COMPLICATES THINGS A LITTLE BIT. THERE MUST BE SOME PROTOCOL WHEN YOU KNOW THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE DOWN THERE. >> WE HAVE BEEN COMMITTED FROM DAY ONE TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM RECOVERY OPERATIONS AS PART OF THE SALVAGE OPERATIONS. THAT HAS BEEN AN INTEGRATED PART OF THE PLAN. WHILE ALL THE ENGINEERING TAKES PLACE IN ORDER TO CUT, LIFT THESE MASSIVE SPANS OUT OF THE WATER, AS PART OF THAT PLAN, WE HAVE PARTNER WITH MARYLAND STATE POLICE TO HAVE THEIR RECOVERY DIVERS AT THE READY TO GO IN AND EITHER INVESTIGATE OR REMOVE ANY TARGETS THAT COULD POSSIBLY LEAD TO RECOVERING SOME OF THOSE MISSING PERSONS. THAT PLAN HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL SO FAR. WE WERE ABLE TO RECOVER TWO OF THE MISSING PERSONS. IT WASN'T JUST IN THEORY. WE'VE EXERCISED THAT PLAN TWICE AND HOPEFULLY DO THAT AGAIN TO GIVE CLOSURE TO THOSE FAMILIES. >> TALK TO US ABOUT THE PREPARATIONS TO REFLOW THE DOLLY AND WHAT COMES NEXT ? >> AT THIS POINT, WHILE WE HAVE THE CHANNEL OPEN, WE ARE DOING A LOT MORE ENGINEERING AND PREPARATIONS TO REMOVE THAT MASSIVE SPAN. IT'S ABOUT 5000 TONS THAT'S LAYING ON AND ACROSS THE DOLLY. IT'S VERY INTRICATE. WHILE IT LOOKS PEACEFUL SITTING THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF PRESSURE, STORED ENERGY IN THOSE MEMBERS THAT ARE LAYING IN THE WATER BECAUSE HOW THE COLLAPSE OCCURRED. BEING ABLE TO ENGINEER HOW TO REMOVE THAT SAFELY WITHOUT CAUSING ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE DOLLY IS REALLY THE MAIN FOCUS. AS WE REMOVE THE WRECKAGE, WE CAN REFLOW THE DOLLY. THE CREW ON THE DOLLY IS WORKING HARD TO SET THE CONDITIONS NECESSARY TO REFLOW. THERE'S A WHOLE SEQUENCE THEY GO THROUGH. RIGHT NOW, THE DOLLY IS BEING STABILIZED AS WE TRANSIT VESSELS THROUGH. IT'S A VERY SYNCHRONIZED PLAN SO AS THE DOLLY IS REEF LOADED, WE WILL THEN COME IN AND REMOVE THE REMAINING WRECKAGE, OPEN THE CHANNEL FU

Channel: WJZ

Views: 29,643

Keywords: Maryland, Baltimore, baltimore bridge collapse, Francis Scott key bridge, u.s. news, cleanup, Baltimore district commander, key bridge, port of baltimore

Id: gdcc0spQzIo

Length: 4min 1sec (241 seconds)

Published: Thu Apr 25 2024