Photographer Mark Hergan captured the majesty of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Hergan owns and operates Deadrise Marine Photography. Hw is an avid sailor and photographer on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Hergan travels the bay in an 18-foot Scout CC Sportfish photographing regattas and creating iconic images. Check out his photos at deadrisemarinephoto.com/
Our Bridge Heritage is published by the Dundalk Eagle and APG Chesapeake. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher.
Copyright 2024
From the EDITOR
I remember March 26. The unbelievable news that the Francis Scott Key Bridge had collapsed.
I drove to our Dundalk office listening to radio reports. I had seen the video on TV early that morning. In the darkness you could see the bridge. Then it was gone.
Dundalk residents had stunned looks on their faces that day. The bridge was iconic, a fixture on the city skyline. In an instant, it was gone. The shock was palpable, easily seen in the vacant stares of people who realized their lives would change but without yet fully understanding how.
The second thing that struck me that day was the scale of the disaster. It was massive.
Photos cannot capture the size of the bridge structure nor the size of the ship that brought the bridge down.
Seeing the destruction from Dundalk, you began to comprehend the challenging job ahead to simply clear the debris and reopen Baltimore Harbor.
Yet Dundalk is a strong town, filled with pride. From the first day, people began asking how they could help. Fundraisers were held to raise money for the many people who worked in the
port whose jobs temporarily disappeared.
Memorial sprung up, honoring the six workers who lost their lives when the bridge plunged into the chilly waters.
And bit by bit — faster than nearly everybody predicted — the debris was cleared from the harbor entrance. The giant container ship was towed back to the port, and shipping traffic resumed.
In an era of deep divisions, people came together to make that happen. It did not matter if you were a Republican or a Democrat. People were Marylanders, and they bridged their differences and fought together, first to reopen the Port of Baltimore and now to rebuild the bridge.
This magazine looks back on the heritage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and its ties to the people of Dundalk. It honors the resiliency of the people who built the bridge and lived in its shadow for nearly five decades.
This magazine is a tribute to the strength of the people who live in Dundalk and their love of the town they call home.
Jim Johnson Executive Editor
THE TUNNEL THAT BECAME A BRIDGE
Key Bridge played vital role in region’s transportation network for nearly 40 years
Story By: Rocco Geppi, Special to the Dundalk Eagle
Traffic congestion. Rush hour. Gridlock. Call it what you will. Orchestrating an over abundance of vehicles on major roadways has been an ongoing symphony conducted by highway officials since the first beltways and interstates opened to motorists.
By the early 1960s, the volume of traffic at the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (Interstate 895) had reached its crescendo and an additional route was needed. The Maryland State Roads Commission decided that a second harbor crossing was necessary.
The commission planned originally for another single-tube tunnel to run under the Patapsco River between Hawkins Point and Sollers Point. But budget projections came up short.
The project initially received a $220 million bond, issued in October 1968, but when bids opened on July 30, 1970, they were much higher than anticipated. The commission began drafting alternative proposals later that year.
One of the ideas was to build a four-lane bridge
The Italian tall ship passes under the Francis Scott Key Bridge during construction in 1976.
CREDIT: The Dundalk-Patapsco Neck Historical Society
capable of taking traffic across the Baltimore Harbor that would allow vehicles carrying hazardous materials to cross, something that was prohibited when traveling through tunnels. It was this proposal that the commission recommended. Its main goal was to carry Interstate 695 between Dundalk in Baltimore County, Hawkins Point in Baltimore City and pass through Anne Arundel County.
And so, the tunnel became a bridge. But the build would not begin for another two years.
CONSTRUCTION
The Maryland General Assembly approved the Outer Harbor Crossing — the bridge’s original name — in April 1971. Ten months later, the U.S. Coast Guard issued a bridge permit and construction began in the second half of 1972.
Designed and constructed as a steel-archcontinuous-through-truss bridge (extends without hinges or joints across three or more supports), the structure ran along the lower Patapsco River and outer Baltimore Harbor — hence why it was initially called the Outer Harbor Bridge.
J.E. Greiner Company, a civil engineering firm based in Baltimore, was selected as the primary design consultant. Side approaches — parts of the bridge that carry traffic from land to the main parts of the bridge — were assigned to the New York firm of Singstad, Kehart, November and Hurka and the two companies worked in conjunction with Baltimore Transportation Associates.
Construction was performed by John F. Beasley Construction Company of Dallas and the bridge materials fabricated by the Pittsburgh-Des Moines Steel Company, but by the time John F. Beasley’s crew showed up to begin the construction, the project was already years behind and more than $30 million over budget. It would take over four years for the bridge to be completed and approved for traffic.
The main piers of the bridge (numbers 17 and 18) were protected by a system called dolphins — piles that are driven into the river bottom in a group, which have space in between that are normally filled with rocks and capped with concrete — a collision at this point in the bridge would be absorbed by deformations of the structure. J.E. Greiner Company used dolphins because at the time, they believed it was the strongest option to withstand a collision and protect the bridge’s
structural integrity.
The dolphins of the Outer Harbor Crossing ran upstream and downstream and each one was filled with a 25-foot diameter sheet pile of tremie concrete – a process where concrete is gravity fed from a hopper; as concrete flows, more is added so the pipe is always charged with a fresh mix – featuring a reinforced concrete cap. The piers had a 17-foot fender system that featured crushable thin-walled concrete boxes that were 100 by 84.5 feet, clad with timber members and steel plates at the bases.
NAME CHANGE
In 1976, as construction continued, the name of the bridge was officially changed to the Francis Scott Key Bridge (also known as the Key Bridge).
Inspired to write “The Star Spangled Banner” after witnessing the blitzkrieg on Fort McHenry at the Battle of Baltimore on Sept. 13, 1814, Francis Scott Key was aboard an American truce ship with the British Royal Navy in the Baltimore Harbor near Sollers Point – approximately 100 yards away from where the bridge would be constructed.
Ben Womer led the charge to name the bridge in Francis Scott Key’s honor.
Womer was born in Pennsylvania in 1910 and like many transplants from the Keystone State, moved to the Dundalk area as a child when his father began working at Bethlehem Steel. Womer would eventually work at Beth Steel – as it came to be lovingly called by its workers and locals – until his retirement in 1970.
Looking for something to do in retirement, Womer co-founded the Dundalk-Patapsco Neck Historical Society. He was the organization's president for
A section of the Francis Scott Key Bridge under construction.
CREDIT: The Dundalk-Patapsco Neck Historical Society
many years and had a great interest in the War of 1812 and the Battle of Baltimore.
Not only did he successfully lobby for the bridge’s name change, he worked diligently for the placement of a commemorative, red, white and blue buoy to be placed in the Baltimore Harbor to mark Key’s location when he penned America’s National Anthem.
And apparently, with his many supporters standing by, Womer was so passionate about Key becoming the namesake of what would become the world’s third longest continuous truss bridge that the state’s governor contacted him directly.
“The story goes that the governor of Maryland, [Marvin Mandel], wrote to Ben to tell him he was naming the bridge after Francis Scott Key and would he please stop writing letters,” said Kevin Garrity, current Dundalk-Patapsco Neck Historical Society vice president.
GRAND OPENING
On March 23, 1977 – nearly seven years after opening original construction bids – the bridge was ready for traffic. Attendees of the grand opening included then Maryland Gov. Marvin Mandel and then Baltimore City Mayor William Donald Schafer.
The opening was marked with a ribboncutting ceremony and speeches highlighting the importance of the bridge for improving the transportation infrastructure in the Baltimore region.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
After the construction of the bridge, several businesses and developments emerged in the vicinity, particularly in areas adjacent to the bridge approaches. The Key Bridge facilitated easier access between Baltimore County and
Anne Arundel County, leading to the construction of shopping centers and retail establishments along Maryland Route 2 (Ritchie Highway) and surrounding areas, some of which included the Ritchie Highway Shopping Center, Marley Station Mall and Severna Park Mall.
Industrial and commercial parks were established, taking advantage of improved transportation routes provided by the bridge. Travel time cut by an average of 30 minutes meant Baltimore County residents could easily commute to jobs in Anne Arundel County and vice versa.
Additionally, hazardous material carriers had easier access to pick up and deliver loads, now that they did not have to travel around the beltway due to the prohibition of entering the Fort McHenry and Baltimore Harbor tunnels.
Residential neighborhoods and communities also saw growth, as commuting between counties became more convenient, thanks to the bridge’s completion. Hanover, Elkridge and Laurel experienced growth and development, due to the Key Bridge construction.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge stood as a testament to the triumphs in infrastructure development. While its origins are rooted in solving traffic woes, the bridge spurred economic growth and community connectivity across counties. Named to honor a pivotal moment in American history. Its impact resonated through improved accessibility and expanded opportunities for residents and businesses alike. As a symbol of ingenuity and progress, the Key Bridge played a vital role in the region's transportation network for nearly 40 years, enhancing both mobility and quality of life.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge after opening in early 1977.
CREDIT: The Dundalk-Patapsco Neck Historical Society
OUR READERS’ PHOTOS OF THE KEY BRIDGE
The sun rises behind the Francis Scott Key Bridge as seen from Curtis Bay in Baltimore.
CREDIT: Photo courtesy of Scott Hoggard
Seen from a helicopter, the Francis Scott Key Bridge rises above a dense cloud of fog.
CREDIT: Photo courtesy of Brian Carver
The Francis Scott Key Bridge.
CREDIT: Maryland Transportation Authority
LAST MAN ACROSS
Herman’s Bakery baker did not realize bridge collapsed behind him
Abby Zimmardi and Jessica Gallagher write for The Baltimore Banner where this story originally appeared. See thebaltimorebanner.com for more stories on the bridge collapse.
It was business as usual for Larry Desantis as he made his daily commute over the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
He clocked out from his bakery job in Pasadena at 1:18 a.m. Tuesday, March 26, and drove to Herman’s Bakery in Dundalk where he is the head baker.
While on the bridge, he slowed down to watch out for the highway workers, heavily focused on staying in between the construction cones.
As he drove, he didn’t notice a ship veering toward the bridge, and he didn’t notice the black smoke billowing out of it.
He made it off the bridge around 1:27 a.m., and about a minute later, the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed behind him after the Dali cargo ship ran into it.
Desantis said he didn’t hear the boom of the bridge crashing down because he had a SiriusXM radio channel playing, although he said he thought it was odd that the road was empty. Especially because Amazon has a large
Larry Desantis poses for a portrait outside Herman’s Bakery in Dundalk on March 28.
CREDIT: Jessica Gallagher/The Baltimore Banner
JUST A MINUTE WOULD’VE
CHANGED EVERYTHING.
distribution center nearby.
“I didn’t even know anything was going on, but it was just really eerie when I got off of the bridge and there was nothing [behind me],” Desantis said. “Because with Amazon there, I’ll see 20 Amazon trucks every morning. I don’t care what day of the week it is. Nothing. There was absolutely nothing.”
It wasn’t until around 1:30 a.m. when he got a call from someone at his Pasadena job who made sure he was OK that he even realized the bridge collapsed.
“I think about it, I might not be here now if I had been just a little bit later,” he said. “Just a minute would’ve changed everything. It’s scary, you know.”
Even a Maryland Transportation Authority Police detective called him to make sure he made it over the bridge. Desantis said he wasn’t sure how they got his number, but he thinks probably through his license plate, which they saw on toll videos.
“A detective called to make sure because I guess they checked the last people that were on the bridge to find out if I was in the water or not,” Desantis said. “They just wanted to know how many people they had to look for. That’s what he told me.”
MDTA Police could not be reached for comment.
While Desantis was at the bakery safe and sound working, his co-worker woke up in a panic.
Around 4 a.m., Deborah Allen snapped awake when she heard three words on the TV: Key. Bridge. Collapsed.
“Oh my God. Larry,” Allen said, thinking about her colleague and friend she’d known since she was 19.
She knew his commute schedule, along with her other colleagues at the bakery.
“I knew that’s what time he was coming,” Allen said. “I knew he’d be crossing, and I panicked.”
In a frenzy, she called her other colleague, Adrienne Porcella, several times, only to get voicemail.
Then she tried Porcella’s mother, who answered.
“‘You got to do something,’” Allen told her. “‘I don’t know what to do.’”
Relief washed over Allen when she finally got word from Porcella that Desantis was at Herman’s. He clocked in at 1:43 a.m.
Allen can count the number of times she’s driven over the Key Bridge on one hand. She’s deathly afraid of bridges and said she will likely never drive over one again.
Despite his brush with death, Desantis has gone into work each day since the bridge collapse. Now, his commute on an alternative route takes close to an hour, whereas before it was 20 minutes, he said.
While he said it took some time for his feelings to really sink in that he could’ve died on the bridge, he’s seen how his experience immediately affected his family and friends.
Desantis, Allen and Porcella have worked at Herman’s Bakery for decades. Porcella’s grandfather opened the bakery 100 years ago last year.
With hundreds of handmade goods baked daily, Herman’s is easily a Dundalk landmark.
And from Dundalk, the Key Bridge was the landmark that residents knew, loved and couldn’t picture the skyline without.
Desantis said he remembers the skyline without the Key Bridge, remembers it being built and he never would have thought that he would be one of the last people to have the memory of driving over it.
UNCERTAINTY FOR BUSINESSES
Dundalk businesses faced changes in the wake of the bridge collapse
Story By: Emily R. Condon, Capital News Service
DUNDALK — The magnitude of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and the closure of the Port of Baltimore began to sink in during the weeks following the tragedy.
For some, there were unexpected ripple effects, such as for Nicholas Johnson from Su Casa Furniture in Fells Point.
Before the bridge’s collapse, Johnson wasn’t aware that the Port of Baltimore was a main hub for plywood. He worries how this may affect his furnishing business, but also how the port’s closure may impact Baltimore’s small business economy.
“My bigger concern is for how the ‘temporary’ adjustments to logistics may stick and become permanent,” Johnson, 39, said in an email. “Because of the timeframe for complete recovery, it is conceivable that many businesses that make arrangements to utilize NY, Philly, Norfolk, Wilmington and Richmond in the short term, may stick with it.”
Su Casa Furniture owner Nicholas Johnson worried that plywood, a main import of the Port of Baltimore, would become scarce while the Port of Baltimore was closed.
CREDIT: Emily Condon/Capital News Service
Many other Baltimore businesses share his concerns. The March 26 collapse of the Key Bridge left six dead and left much of Baltimore’s port blocked for imports and exports.
Some 51,000 people rely on the port, either directly or indirectly, for their jobs. Because of this threat to the economy, Gov. Wes Moore has approved $60 million in temporary assistance to workers and businesses.
Some high-profile companies immediately shifted gears: first Royal Caribbean International moved its Vision of the Seas ship to sail from the port in Norfolk, Virginia. Then, CSX Corp., a major freight rail company, decided to add a new train route to bring supplies from Baltimore to New York. The U.S. Small Business Administration said more than 1,000 businesses in the Baltimore area have applied for emergency loans following the bridge collapse.
For trucking companies based in the city, the port closure resulted in major shifts in their operations and forced some drivers out of work. Universal Intermodal Services Inc.’s Dundalk location currently has at least 12 truckers out of work, according to fleet manager, RJ Martin.
“It’s really screwed up the trucking market in this whole area as guys are no longer working in this area,” Martin said. “They’re having to go somewhere else or just be out of work and try and collect unemployment — which not everyone will be approved for.”
Martin said that mass cancellations result in rerouted shipments to ports in Virginia and New Jersey. Many customers decided to cancel trucking orders with Universal’s Baltimore facility and are instead scheduling with Universal’s other locations or other carriers closer to the new drop-off locations, Martin said. He said out of 50 orders, about 30 have been canceled and of the remaining 20, about 10 were rerouted.
About 10 truckers from Universal have gone
down to Norfolk to register with the port there to pick up rerouted shipments, according to Martin. He said other Baltimore-based truckers have to register in Norfolk to pick up loads. This additional clearance has added five to six hours to many of the truckers’ days.
Martin is hopeful now that the Baltimore channel is cleared and the port reopens, operations for Baltimore shipping companies will return to normal.
Other businesses don’t face such a severe economic impact, but they consider the loss of the Key Bridge as an important symbolic moment for the community. For Brandy Teresi, 48, co-owner of Robbie’s Bar and Grill in Sparrows Point, the Key Bridge was “a part of your identity and who you are as an individual, which is weird because it’s just a bridge.”
The only small immediate impact for Robbie’s Bar and Grill has been rerouted deliveries. One quirk: the supplier of the bar’s CO2 tanks, which pump the beer taps and soda machines, needs to go around the city because regulations don’t permit the tanks in the Harbor Tunnel on Interstate 895, Teresi said.
Other businesses across the city are still navigating the uncertainty that comes with the collapse. Canton-based Mama’s on the Half Shell has not experienced any direct economic impacts, but some customers from Anne Arundel County have a longer drive to the restaurant, said Maurico Guevara, a veteran employee at Mama’s. The restaurant planned to hold a fundraiser on April 10 and donate a portion of their profits to victims of the collapse, he said.
Megan Gardner, marketing director for the restaurant group that owns Mama’s, doesn’t predict any problems with food shipments since they obtain their food from local suppliers. The biggest impact is emotional.
“Feeling that communal heartache is more of how we felt,” Gardner said.
REALM REALTY, LLC
Realm Realty, LLC is a family owned and operated, full service real estate brokerage offering a wide array of services to address the real estate needs of our clients. Whether you’re buying a home, selling residential or commercial space, investing in real
estate or buying or selling a lot , Realm Realty has the expertise and resources to help. Broker/Owner, Becky Martin says, “we want everyone to feel like they are our only client and by the end of the transaction most feel like friends or family. We have many years of experience. All agents are local and very knowledgeable of all your real estate needs!”
Becky tells us what the bridge meant to her, “ I traveled daily with an amazing view and made commuting a lot easier. It was an icon for Dundalk and when you saw the bridge you knew you were home!”
With the collapse of the bridge, “it has made my travel time much longer and is very inconvenient but nothing in comparison to the family that lost loved ones. Very appreciative to the toll police for helping get everyone they could to safety. Most heartfelt condolences for the loved ones of the people we lost.”
“Thank you to everyone’s hard work in the clean up and praying for a speedy rebuild of the Francis Scott Key Bridge!”
Date Business Opened Nov 17, 2022 Realmrealtyofmd.com
Operation 8am-9pm daily
Becky & Richard Martin
Title Broker/ Owner, Realtor, ABR, GREEN, SFR, GRI beckymartin721@gmail.com
RLM PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Established 2013, RLM Property Management LLC helps owners manage their properties. Property Manager/Owner, Becky Martin explains, “we take all the owner headache of managing a rental away by handling all phone calls for maintenance, collecting rents and doing the accounting.”
She tells us that not only did she and the RLM Property Management LLC team drive the Key Bridge daily, they loved the bridge so much they
used it as part of our logo!
“Prayers for families of the men who lost their lives. And a huge thank you to all the men and women who have worked endlessly to clean up this tragedy,” Becky announces.
Date Business Opened Apr 03, 2013 Days and Hours of Operation 9-9 daily Owners Becky and Richard Martin
TRADEPOINT ATLANTIC
Over the past decade, TPA has grown with the community into a global industrial logistics hub with over 50 world-class tenants, 13,000 full-time jobs, and more than $2 billion in private investment to date.
When the Bethlehem Steel Mill ceased operations at Sparrows Point in 2012, it marked the end of an era. However, within two years, Tradepoint Atlantic (TPA) came forward as a force in the logistics industry. As the world becomes more connected and consumer demand for American and foreign goods grows, the economic and community strength we’ve built at TPA will serve as a new baseline for growth, innovation, and longevity.
The tragic collapse of the Key Bridge has forever changed the landscape of the Baltimore region and will continue to impact state and national economies that rely on the bridge and the Port of Baltimore for the foreseeable future.
TPA’s location just south of the bridge allowed us to provide key support for Maryland’s efforts to maintain the supply chain and reestablish commercial activity while vessel traffic beyond
the bridge was suspended. Tradepoint Terminals remained fully open for previously scheduled vessel arrivals and for redirected cargo.
As we move from recovery to rebuilding, TPA will continue to work with federal, state, and local officials, agencies, and shipping lines to assist in navigating the logistical concerns impacting the Port of Baltimore.
Looking into the future, in the fall of 2022, TPA announced a joint venture with Terminal Investment Limited (TiL) to develop the Sparrows Point Container Terminal (SPCT), a new strategically located container terminal on TPA’s campus. This SPCT will solidify TPA’s role as one of the most unique industrial sites on the East Coast, strengthening our ability to attract new investment and activity to the Port of Baltimore.
For more information on the project, visit www. spctmd.com.
DUNDALK RENAISSANCE CORPORATION
Dundalk Renaissance is a nonprofit community development organization dedicated to Dundalk’s revival by building on our community’s strengths by housing and financial counseling, business development and free community events. Tasha Gresham-James explains, “Our organization was formed out of the Baltimore County Office of Community Conservation and Dundalk leaders hosting an Urban Design Assistance Team. Our priority is to provide our services free of charge.”
“Dundalk has so much to offer! This city has 43 miles of waterfront, with affordable homes for families of all sizes and a walkable National Register Historic District,” Tasha tells us, “with close proximity to nightlife and sporting events. There is access to major highways and employment opportunities inside the city and out. We work to grow new
businesses at The Forge and strengthen the Historic Dundalk Town Center commercial area by influencing investment decisions made by business, developers, government, and individuals!”
Tasha announces, “Some of our clients are directly affected by the Bridge collapse and many used the bridge to get to us. That has changed and we are still navigating those challenges. We share with all the people of the city of Dundalk our memories of the FSK bridge. In particular, driving over during sunsets and even being on the Lady Baltimore sailing under it..”
Date Business Opened Aug 02, 2021 tasha@dundalkusa.org Monday-Friday 9am-5pm Tasha Gresham-James, Executive Director
OWL METALS
Owl Metal purchases all grades of scrap metal, like steel, copper, aluminum, and stainless steel. They got their start in 1992, by buying aluminum cans and grew the company little by little due to the loyal customers and hard-working employees.
When asked about the collapse of the bridge, Owl Metals owner, George DiPietro observes, “The bridge is something that I did not appreciate as much as I should have until it was not there. It was such a large part of my life, and I did not realize it until now.”
The geography has been changed, “We were once on a main thoroughfare and now we are on the tip of a peninsula.”
Despite this DiPietro knows that their customers will continue to make them #1 in Baltimore with the combination of good prices and outstanding service!
Business Established: May 3, 1992
Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4 pm George DiPietro, Owner
FIRST ON THE SCENE
North Point-Edgemere firefighters answered the call when the bridge collapsed
Story By: Connor Bolinder, Dundalk Eagle
Local firefighters were presented with a Public Service Award last week for their lifesaving response to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
The Maryland Chamber of Commerce recognized members of the North PointEdgemere Volunteer Fire Department at the event on Thursday, May 9, at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. The chamber also presented the award to Baltimore County’s fire and police departments, the Anne Arundel County Office of Emergency Management, the MDTA Police and the Key Bridge Response Unified Command.
“While we will never fully comprehend the challenges these heroes faced, we are forever grateful for their extraordinary bravery and service,” said Mary Kane, president of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce. “Their actions undoubtedly saved countless lives and helped restore stability to our communities and
Christopher Gleason Smuck, Matt Morgan and Joel Jablonski of the North Point-Edgemere Volunteer Fire Department accept the Public Service Award from the Maryland Chamber of Commerce.
CREDIT: Connor Bolinder/Dundalk Eagle
businesses in the wake of this horrible tragedy.”
When the Key Bridge collapsed in the early morning hours of March 26, first responders from every level of government quickly answered the call. They immediately shut down traffic in both directions and evacuated the bridge. When seven construction workers fell into the Patapsco River, they deployed boats, helicopters and divers to search the water. One survivor was rescued, and crews worked tirelessly to recover the bodies of six victims.
“From the Baltimore County side, we’re basically one of the first few responding units,” said Matt Morgan, assistant chief of the North Point-Edgemere Volunteer Fire Department. “We operate two marine fire rescue boats and a heavy rescue squad, all three of those units went. Our boat was actually the third vessel on the scene behind the two Baltimore City boats.”
Because the volunteer fire department’s heavy rescue squad is equipped with hydraulic extrication tools and other heavy equipment, they were to assist the Maryland State Police with recovering the victims from their vehicles.
“It’s something you don’t expect to see,” Morgan said. “For the first hour of it, you are in an active emergency. Then you transition into, it’s not really a rescue, it turns into a recovery ... That was pretty harrowing,” Morgan said. “Myself and the other assistant chief from my company [Joe Walters], were able to assist with the recovery of Victim 4 and Victim 5.”
In addition to Morgan, the North PointEdgemere Volunteer Fire Department was represented at the event by Brenda Marr, Andrew Ratajczak, Christopher Gleason Smuck, Samantha Roberts and Joel Jablonski. Baltimore County Assistant Fire Chief Marcus Johnson was also among those recognized. Johnson, who has been with the department for over two decades, was previously a fire specialist based in Dundalk’s Station 6.
“We were honored to recognize these remarkable individuals and organizations while also pausing to reflect on the lives lost and forever changed by the bridge tragedy,” Kane said.
WHILE WE WILL NEVER FULLY COMPREHEND THE CHALLENGES THESE HEROES FACED, WE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR THEIR EXTRAORDINARY BRAVERY AND SERVICE
TAMARA THOMSON INSURANCE & FINANCIAL SERVICES INC.
Nestled in the heart of Dundalk, Tamara Thomson’s office on Wise Avenue quickly established itself since 2012, as a prominent resource to the neighborhood. Providing Insurance & Financial Services in both English and Spanish are just a few ways the office can prove quite useful to their neighbors. For those looking to move to the tri-state area, Tamara and her team can assist with Insurance needs in Delaware, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Tamara tells us, “My family and I have lived and worked in the area our whole lives. We have watched the Delmarva area thrive and grow and are particularly excited about the major expansions at Tradepoint Atlantic. This area deserves a renaissance! Our community is filled with an amazing, hard-working diverse group of people.”
Along with her husband and children they root for all the local home teams and share a love for all things Baltimore from the Inner Harbor to crabs on the water in their current hometown of Sparrows Point.
Participating in community outreach, working with business owners and supporting both sports
and the arts for children and schools are what make this office a true gem in the community. Having a passion for helping people is evident in her decades long careers focused on educating and assisting customers with realizing their dreams.
You can grab a coffee at the office or chat over lunch, as you will find Tamara is always ready to assist and happy to accommodate appointments in the office, on the phone or virtually. When she is not at the office assisting customers, you may find her out and about at local festivals and events, learning a new skill such as Opera, traveling or painting as one of the areas local artists. “Time is precious, and I like to make the best of my time, that is why I value my customers and their time so much. Plus, I love to stay busy!” she says.
POPLAR INN
Poplar Inn was started in 1953 by a Greek family and sold to an Indian family in 2016. Completely renovated, Poplar Inn added two bars, a restaurant, and a liquor store to the business. Owner, Richhpal Singh, explains, “with our customers’ support we will continue to serve good food and a friendly business for our community. Poplar Inn is a milestone for Dundalk and we are honored to keep this legacy going.”
Singh tells us about the impact of the Key Bridge collapse, “we crossed the Bridge every Sunday to go to the Gurudwara [Temple] and to vacation to Ocean City. Many of our dedicated
customers lived and worked across the bridge, we hope they will still visit Polar Inn.”
Poplar Inn prides itself on providing Excellent Customer Service, serving delicious food and offering a wide variety of products from liquor store, continuing to serve the Dundalk community with honor since 1953.
Special Thanks from Richhpal & Kelly (Manager)
Business Established: 10/4/2016
Sunday - Thursday 11am-11pm
Friday - Saturday 11am -12am
Richhpal Singh, Owner thepoplarinn@gmail.com
THOMPSON AUTOMOTIVE
Thompson Hyundai has been family owned and operated since 1929. It is a new car franchise, and also offers used cars, service, parts and body shop repairs.
The business started as Try Me Service Station on Wise Avenue and North Point Boulevard. It moved to 1000 Merritt Boulevard as a Lincoln Mercury dealership with franchises growing to include two Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram stores, Toyota, Hyundai, Mazda, Suzuki and Kia.
Remembering the bridge, the Thompson family says, “The Key Bridge was a fixture on the Horizon in Dundalk and was the gateway to the Inner Harbor and Port of Baltimore – we’ve seen many beautiful sunsets reflecting through the bridge. We have national pride as it was named after Francis Scott Key who wrote the Star Spangled Banner!”
“The collapse of the Key Bridge has cut off
a lot of business from the south side of the bridge. Anyone who has to travel from the southside, north, has definitely experienced the bottleneck of traffic and the tunnels. It has caused travel into the area to be very difficult and time consuming,” they mention.
Thompson Hyundai’s goal is to offer a firstclass sales and service experience. Along with the industry’s best new car warranty of 10 years/100,000 mile powertrain, and putting customer service as their highest priority, you will feel the Thompson Hyundai difference! The Thompson family explains, “our slogan says it all: You don’t just buy a car, you buy a company.’”
WORK AUTHORITY
Work Authority offers head to toe safety solutions for workers with the largest selection of safety footwear in the area. Founded in Canada seven decades ago and is now part of the Workwear Outfitters portfolio of brands.
Work Authority’s selections include safety shoes, hard hats, work apparel and anything a worker might need to be safe on the jobsite. Rick Hover, Regional Account Executive explains, “we provide best in class service from our new 3,100 square foot retail store and discounts starting at 15% with our VIP Discount program. We love working with companies, outfitting their entire teams, using our corporate voucher programs with volume discounts.”
Not only does Work Authority boast the
largest selection of safety footwear and work apparel in the area, but their safety footwear experts have been well trained in the brands and lines they stock, and are up to date on all safety certifications, tolerances and industry standards. They’re also briefed on specific account requirements of their customer’s needs. Hover tell us, “the mission of Work Authority is to ensure that all your people get the safety footwear they need as efficiently as possible.”
‘OH, SAY CAN YOU SEE ...’
Red, white and blue buoy marks spot where Francis Scott Key watched the bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812
This article, written by J.K. O’Neill, was originally published in the Dundalk Eagle in June 2016.
I got a question about a buoy. Angela Miller of West Inverness asked me for the scoop on the star-spangled buoy that you can see to the left, just off shore, as you cross the Francis Scott Key Bridge into Dundalk. I figured I already knew the story behind this marine memorial, so I looked forward to a fairly easy column filled with buoy puns and nautical terms I just learned but would write in a way that implied I knew them forever. But I figured wrong. Even my normally slipshod and cursory investigation in the priceless files of the Dundalk-Patapsco Neck Historical Society revealed the complicated story of the buoy’s origins and the tireless efforts of determined Dundalkians who got it put there in the first place. But let’s start with history. As many know, the buoy floats at the approximate site where stood Georgetown resident, lawyer and, fortunately for us, part-time poet Francis Scott Key, who was detained by the British while they set about to destroy Fort McHenry and then Baltimore itself in 1814.
In this file photo from 2016, members of the Coast Guard salute the Francis Scott Key Memorial buoy in the Patapsco River. The buoy marks the spot where the ship carrying Francis Scott Key, the author of "The Star-Spangled Banner," was anchored off Fort McHenry during the War of 1812.
Credit: U.S. Coast Guard
Key (1780-1843) had come to the British flagship Tonnant in the cartel sloop Minden to negotiate the release of Dr. William Beanes, a popular and elderly physician of Upper Marlboro who had been arrested on nebulous charges by the British.
On Sept. 7, 1814, Key, accompanied by American prisoner exchange agent Col. John Skinner, eventually convinced Adm. Alexander Cochrane and Gen. Robert Ross, fresh from their burning of Washington, to release Beanes.
But the British commanders figured the three Americans had witnessed too much of their preparations for the invasion and bombardment, so they refused to let the Minden depart. So Key remained on his ship for several days as a virtual prisoner.
But he had the best seat in the house for the bombardment. His joy at seeing the flag (intentionally made huge in advance to be a sign of defiance in the face of the anticipated British attack) still flying in the dawn’s early light of Sept.14 led him to write his first draft of what would become our national anthem on, according to legend, the back of an envelope.
So the buoy marks the approximate spot where Key’s ship lay at anchor during the battle. Or does it? The first site for the buoy was chosen in 1914 from British and American naval records. The buoy was installed as part of the celebration of the centennial of the Battle of Baltimore. It was removed after the party was over.
The Coast Guard temporarily put in the current buoy in 1971 where the buoy had been in 1914. But when the buoy became permanent in 1981, the Coast Guard insisted that its location be moved out of the navigable channel where it presents, at 3,500 lbs., a serious threat to shipping.
So the buoy is not exactly where the experts in 1914 thought it should be. But some later experts have questioned even this original choice. The first spot was chosen because some records indicated the Minden was held, tied to the British frigate Surprise, with the British cargo vessels in the area later known as Sollers Flats, four miles down the Patapsco from Fort McHenry.
But, Walter Lord, author of The Dawn’s Early Light, determined from his research that the transports and Key were anchored in Old Roads
Bay (between Edgemere and Sparrows Point, which is pretty odd because he could not have seen the rockets red glare or whether our flag was still there from Old Roads Bay – but, a lot of people need tenure or are just contrary and sometimes just right) some four miles farther down river.
But who cares?
Key was somewhere off the shore of Dundalk or Sparrows Point. The memorial buoy should be located in a spot near the bridge where boaters and motorists alike can see it and be reminded of Dundalk’s role in the great events of American history. It’s bad enough that the history we get taught always seems to leave out our contributions. We should at least have the buoy nearby.
“What contributions?” I hear you ask. Recall that the Louisiana Purchase was saved by brave Marylanders at the Battle of North Point. Think I’m crazy? The British negotiators at Ghent wanted this territory ceded to them as part of the peace treaty. After the British offensive failed after the Battle of North Point, costing them over 300 men and the continued services of Gen. Ross, who was killed, the fleet and army were forced to withdraw to Canada. The haughty British treaty negotiators no longer had a big stick to threaten the Americans. The stick got broken on North Point.
So it is appropriate that, after the British land attack failed in our hometown, the most famous observer of the failure of the sea attack watched it from our territorial waters. Yes, friends, young America was saved and its anthem was written in what would become Greater Dundalk. And the buoy is in the right place to show it.
The buoy commemorates the writing of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” patriotic song extraordinaire and eventual national anthem of these United States. Its location was chosen as the closest they could get the buoy to the approximate, theoretical location of the cartel sloop on which Key stood scribbling away in the dawn’s early light. It’s the closest they could get to the site so that the buoy would be visible from the bridge but not in a shipping lane.
But how did the memorial become a permanent fixture?
In the early 1970s Ben Womer, a 44-year veteran of Bethlehem Steel’s Sparrows Point
plant and acknowledged unofficial historian laureate of Dundalk, took a trip to San Francisco to visit his daughter. While touring Golden Gate Park, he came upon a statue of Francis Scott Key, according to an account published recently by his son Jim in The Blinker. Mr. Womer gazed at the statue and wondered why Key was not so honored in Baltimore, let alone in Dundalk, in whose territorial waters he wrote the lines that made him famous.
Mr. Womer came home and started doing some research. While keeping busy by, among other things, co-founding the Dundalk-Patapsco Neck Historical Society, he managed to determine the location of the 1914 buoy and to push local leaders and politicos for reinstallation.
He had some early, temporary success. The powers that be agreed to put a new starspangled buoy at the site for 30 days in 1972 to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the legislature’s passing of Baltimore’s city charter and the launching of the frigate Constellation (not to be confused with the sloop of war Constellation built in the 1850s and currently afloat in the Inner Harbor).
But Mr. Womer was not satisfied with this brief resurrection of the buoy. He wanted a permanent reminder to those on the water, the bridge and the land of this nationally sacred moment in our history and of the place where it happened.
He then “badgered politicians and anyone else who would listen,” according to his son Jim. Mr. Womer and a small corps of local supporters tirelessly bombarded legislators, the governor, the military, the feds and civic groups and organizations with letters and phone calls requesting the return of the buoy.
Eventually he gained the support of the Society of the War of 1812, the Baltimore County Historical Society, the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House and Museum and other groups who threw their weight behind the idea.
In February 1979, Del. Daniel J. Minnick, swayed by Mr. Womer’s exhortations, began looking into the possibility of legislation that would permanently establish the buoy. But he discovered that navigable waterways like the Patapsco fell under U.S. Coast Guard jurisdiction. The Maryland General Assembly was essentially
powerless to require the buoy without Coast Guard assent.
So Del. Minnick and Mr. Womer started filling out the paperwork. They applied to the Coast Guard, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. In the meantime, the House of Delegates passed a joint resolution for placing the buoy. Gov. Harry Hughes signed it into law May 1, 1979.
The Coast Guard and DNR did some wrangling and eventually agreed that the buoy could be put back for two 14-day periods in early and late summer and thereafter on a provisional basis. But this answer didn’t satisfy Mr. Womer, who pushed and pushed until the buoy’s permanent status was made official in 1981. Now it floats as a reminder of our history every spring through autumn. The Coast Guard removes it during the winter to protect it from ice damage and touch up its paint. Ben Womer died in 1994.
So the buoy represents many things. It is a tangible symbol of our area’s role in American history. It marks the birthplace of the national anthem. But it also stands as a permanent tribute to the tireless perseverance of a visionary man dedicated to the preservation and commemoration of the history and historical significance of Dundalk. Thank you, Ben Womer.
The star-spangled buoy marking where Francis Scott Key witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry ... maybe.
Credit: Dundalk-Patapsco Neck Historical Society
POOR BOYS
Poor Boys began as a produce stand in 1986 and have made a few changes to their selections since then. Owner Mike Tyson tells us, “we transitioned from being a flower shop to also selling sports apparel, but one thing that has remained constant is the strong connection we have formed with our community.” He explains, “our stock includes essentials for Baltimore sports fans and gardening supplies, so we believe there is something for everyone here. Some customers visit to add to their collection of Ravens and Orioles gear, while others are drawn to our diverse selections. Regardless of their reasons for coming, they always leave eagerly anticipating their next visit!”
Mike tells us about the collapse of the Key Bridge on his business, “we have many customers that come from the Pasadena and Glen Burnie areas who are going the extra distance to continue shopping here and we are very grateful for them.”
Poor Boys prioritizes customer service, providing a friendly atmosphere, and having a big selection to choose from.
Mike announces, Poor Boys has the largest selection of officially licensed Ravens and Orioles merchandise.
HOLLY HILL MEMORIAL GARDENS
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“I’m
‘HOW CAN WE HELP?’
Lawmakers and politicians across the state work to support bipartisan efforts to rebuild the bridge
Story By: Connor Bolinder, Dundalk Eagle
Maryland politicians have been working together to clean up the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge and begin the rebuilding efforts.
The bipartisan work was on display in April when Democratic Gov. Wes Moore was joined by Republicans former Gov. Bob Ehrlich and state Sen. Johnny Ray Salling to provide an update on recovery efforts to the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge.
The bridge collapsed in the early morning hours of March 26 after a cargo ship crashed into it. Six construction workers were killed in the incident.
At the briefing at the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Headquarters in Dundalk just weeks after the collapse, Moore said workers had removed more than 1,100 tons of steel from the water — more than five times the weight of the Statue of Liberty.
“We have not had a single injury on the job — three weeks, 1,110 tons of steel, no
grateful for your leadership my friend,” Gov. Wes Moore said to state Sen. Johnny Ray Salling for his ongoing support in the Key Bridge recovery efforts.
CREDIT: Connor Bolinder/Dundalk Eagle
WE PRAY FOR YOU, WE ARE HERE FOR YOU, WHATEVER WE CAN DO.
injuries. This is an absolutely remarkable achievement,” Moore said.
“Just for an understanding, we have over 370 people who are working on this operation, that’s Unified Command,” Moore said. “As we speak, there are over 80 assets that we have in the water, that includes boats, cranes, barges, each one of those assets is here.”
Unified Command refers to the combination of local, state and federal agencies that have been working in lockstep to respond to the bridge collapse. Resources from the Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast Guard, Maryland State Police, Maryland Department of Transportation, and local first responders have all been pooled together under the Unified Command.
It’s not just different levels of government that are working together to address the bridge crisis. Moore highlighted the outpouring of support that has come from both sides of the political aisle.
“It is not lost on me that the PORT Act was led by both Democrats and Republicans,” Moore said. “And I’m honored to have one of the sponsors and leaders of that bill here today, Sen. Salling, who sponsored the legislation, thank you.”
Maryland Sen. Johnny Ray Salling grew up in Sparrows Point and represents District 6. The Republican has a longtime personal connection to the Key Bridge and the Port of Baltimore. He worked at Bethlehem Steel for 26 years, and the Key Bridge has existed his entire adult life.
“I have family that work at the Port of Baltimore, I have other friends that I’ve known for a very long time, and it’s affected them greatly,” Salling said.
In the last weeks of the 2024 Legislative
Session, Salling co-sponsored the PORT Act with Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Democrat. The bill established temporary relief for workers and businesses affected by the port’s closure.
“The workers will get not just unemployment, but they will get more pay to help them out for their bills, for their house payments, for groceries,” Salling said.
District 6 Delegates Bob Long and Ric Metzgar also attended the April briefing. Both are Republicans who helped pass the PORT Act through the House of Delegates.
“Working with a Democratic governor and a Republican senator and Republican leaders, we’re here for one reason: we’re here for you the people,” Salling said. “We pray for you, we are here for you, whatever we can do.”
Echoing the bipartisan show of support, former Gov. Bob Ehrlich, a Republican, spoke alongside his eventual successor Moore, a Democrat. Ehrlich said that although many people are cynical about politics these days, “Team Maryland” is real.
“I’m here not just as a former governor, but as a former member who represented Dundalk, a place I love,” Ehrlich said, adding, “Dundalk Fourth of July Parade, it doesn’t get better.”
Ehrlich gave regards on behalf of Rep. Andy Harris, a Republican who has also pledged to work across party lines with his colleagues in Congress to help clean up and rebuild the bridge.
“When the Key Bridge fell, we received outreach from people all over the state who did not start with mentioning their political affiliation, who did not start talking about what party they represent,” Moore said. “They just simply called up and raised their hand and said, ‘How can we help?’”
SCENES FROM BRIDGE COLLAPSE RECOVERY EFFORTS
People gather for a vigil at Mount Olive Baptist Church of Turner Station Tuesday, March 26, the day the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed.
President Joe Biden is joined April 5 by local and state officials to discuss recovery efforts on the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Crews work on cutting a section of metal from the collapsed Key Bridge on Saturday, May 4.
CREDIT: Associated Press
CREDIT: Christopher Rosario/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
DONNA’S TAVERN & RESTAURANT
A woman-owned, small family business, Donna’s Tavern & Restaurant opened in 1987. Owner, Donna Sekora looks back, “As a young woman in 1977 who recently graduated from Catholic High, I remember the first day the bridge opened for traffic! I was quite apprehensive about driving over the bridge the first several times which were far and few between in 1977; however, by 2024 it was a staple in my daily commute.”
The bridge has affected their business in various ways. Many of their customers travel the bridge to visit the restaurant for entertainment, food and beverages. Without the bridge, some of the customers have decided to visit places on the opposite side due to increased traffic patterns. In addition, some of the customers are also Dundalk Marine Terminal employees thus presenting more challenges. They have
implemented LOCAL 333 appreciation nights to show their support!
The important priorities of the restaurant include providing superior service, exciting entertainment, quality foods and beverages, all in a casual dining environment.
“Our business is set apart from competitors by the pride we take in both the infrastructure, our family friendly entertainment such as Family Karaoke night, Dinner with Characters, and community efforts, such as fundraising for local sports teams, families, and nonprofits,” Donna explains.
Business Established: 11/1/1987
and Thursday from 12pm to 11pm
and Saturdays from 12pm to 2am
from 12pm to 8pm
‘A MONUMENT IN THE SKY’
Baltimore County executive recalls memories of bridge, resiliency of Dundalk
Story By: Liv Barry, Special to the Dundalk Eagle
As floats weaved through the streets of Dundalk during this year’s Independence Day parade, a weight hung over festivities.
The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26 and subsequent death of six construction workers working on the structure was fresh on the community’s mind.
Among the 140 groups marching in the parade, memorials for the bridge and victims were abundant. From banners to miniature recreations, support for the Dundalk community in the wake of tragedy was in full force.
Proudly walking alongside the many remembrances was Baltimore County Executive John Olszewski, better known to locals as “Johnny O,” who is just one of the many people whose life was touched by the collapse of the Key Bridge.
“I don’t know that there’s been anything as dramatic that has also been so painful and personal in [my] work,” Olszewski said.
Johnny Olszewski hugs a paradegoer during the Dundalk Independence Day parade this year.
CREDIT: Connor Bolinder
The executive, who was born and raised in Dundalk, said that the bridge was representative of a “rite of passage” for many in the community, including himself, representing the newfound freedom granted to him as a teenager.
“I remember ... driving over the bridge was one of those things that as we got our licenses we did,” he said.
Beyond the freedom the bridge granted him, Olszewski reflected on how the bridge exemplified Dundalk’s strong water culture. From boating to fishing, the recreational opportunities that the bridge provided allowed residents to connect with nature in their community.
“I grew up and spent a lot of time on the water,” he said. “Some of my fondest memories were late night fishing expeditions under and around the bridge, just really enjoying the beauty of [the bridge] from the waterfront.”
He remembered how the bridge presided over Baltimore, marking the skyline during annual traditions like Fourth of July fireworks at the Inner Harbor, which he remembered watching as a child from his family’s boat while coasting under the bridge.
“It was sort of a monument in the sky, and one of those iconic figures that we all took for granted,” he said.
Since the collapse of the structure, Olszewski has had his work cut out for him. From community outreach to campaigning for a Maryland congressional seat, Olszewski has been working with his community to foster bonds between residents.
According to the politician, the work he did in the weeks after the collapse shaped his relationship with Dundalk. Olszewski was handson with community outreach “... whether that be visiting friends or relatives who worked at the Port of Baltimore, who were and in some cases are still impacted by the return of business or the lack of business in the port, or speaking directly with the families who were impacted and trying to support them in their time of grieving,” the executive said.
Even today, Olszewski is still working to amend the ripples that the tragedy left in its wake. Currently, the executive said that he is working with the traffic impacts after the loss of the
bridge dramatically reshaped commuter patterns in Baltimore County, Baltimore City and Anne Arundel County.
Amid the many repercussions of the collapse, however, Olszewski said that the Dundalk community has shown strength and persistence.
“It was ... an experience where the resilience of the community that I grew up in and loved was in full display. To see the incredible generosity, the giving spirit, the care that people demonstrated to one another in a time of need was incredible,” Olszewski said.
He noted that one of his strongest memories in the days after the collapse was of Key Brewing’s “Support the Port” fundraiser. The Dundalk brewery, named after the bridge, hosted a musical festival just days after the collapse to drum up money for port workers who would be out of a job until the port channel was cleared.
Olszewski acted as a guest bartender for the event, serving beer to the large crowd that turned out in support.
“I think it’s brought us closer together and reminded us that we share more in common than what divides us,” Olszewski said. “Smaller divisions were cast aside in favor of our community bond.”
While the shipping channel that the bridge’s debris blocked was declared clear in June, the community now faces an entirely new venture: the bridge’s rebuilding.
Despite the large undertaking, which according to the Maryland Department of Transportation is estimated to take around four years and cost between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion, Olszewski believes that his community has the resiliency to continue to support each other through the project.
Olszewski said that he believes Dundalk can retain the community bonds brought about by the tragedy due to “... the resiliency, the patriotism and the spirit of strength that was born out of [our] community from steelmaking generations ago.”
“As someone who grew up in southeast Baltimore County, I couldn’t have been and I couldn’t be more proud to claim Dundalk as my hometown,” Olszewski said.
FACING DEATH, HE THANKED GOD FOR HIS FAMILY
Bridge collapse survivor recounts watching coworkers plunge to their deaths
Penelope Blackwell of The Baltimore Banner contributed to this report. Read her story at thebaltimorebanner.com.
In this aerial image released by the Maryland National Guard, the cargo ship Dali is stuck under part of the structure of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after the ship hit the bridge March 26. Julio Cervantes Suarez, the only person who survived falling from Maryland’s Francis Scott Key Bridge during its catastrophic collapse, says he watched in horror as his coworkers, friends and relatives plunged to their deaths.
BALTIMORE — The only person who survived falling from Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge during its catastrophic collapse says he watched in horror as his coworkers, friends and relatives plunged to their deaths.
In an exclusive interview with NBC News’ Tom Llamas that aired in early July, Julio Cervantes Suarez described fighting for his life after his truck tumbled into the Patapsco River.
He was part of a roadwork crew filling potholes on the bridge when a massive cargo ship lost power and crashed into one of its supporting columns on March 26.
Cervantes Suarez described how he and a crew were on a rest break in the middle of the bridge as the ship approached and lost steering.
Cervantes Suarez said everything began to shake just before he saw his co-workers disappear into the water. He thought he would die because he doesn’t know how to swim, he added.
CREDIT: Maryland National Guard
Six people died in the collapse, including Cervantes Suarez’s nephew and brother-in-law. An inspector working alongside the crew was able to run to safety and declined medical treatment.
Cervantes Suarez, 37, who hadn’t previously spoken publicly about his experience, said the men were sitting in their construction vehicles during a break when the bridge suddenly started crumbling beneath them.
A last-minute mayday call from the ship’s pilot had allowed nearby police officers to stop traffic to the bridge just moments earlier, but they didn’t have enough time to alert the construction workers.
He told NBC that he turned to God in what he thought were his final moments.
“I thanked God for family he gave me. I asked him to take care of my wife and kids. And I asked for forgiveness for everything I’ve done,” Cervantes Suarez said in Spanish.
Miraculously, he was able to manually roll down the window of his rapidly sinking truck and climb out into the frigid water.
“That’s when I realized what happened,” he told NBC News in Spanish. “I looked at the bridge, and it was no longer there.”
He said he called out to his companions by name, but no one answered him. Unable to swim, he clung to a piece of floating concrete until he was rescued by first responders. His hard hat was equipped with a light, which rescuers spotted. He was hospitalized for treatment of a chest wound.
Cervantes Suarez said he’s haunted by the fall and grieving an unimaginable loss.
All the victims were Latino immigrants who moved to the U.S. for work opportunities.
In the immediate aftermath of the collapse, Baltimore County’s close-knit Latino community constructed an elaborate memorial where loved ones gathered often while salvage divers continued searching the wreckage for human remains.
It took six weeks before all the bodies were recovered.
“They were good people, good workers and had good values,” Cervantes Suarez said.
A National Transportation Safety Board investigation found that the wayward cargo ship Dali experienced power outages before starting
its voyage from Baltimore to Sri Lanka, but the exact causes of the electrical issues have yet to be determined.
The FBI also is conducting a criminal investigation into the circumstances leading up to the disaster.
The ship’s owner and manager, both Singaporebased companies, filed a court petition soon after the collapse seeking to limit their legal liability. The City of Baltimore, among other entities, have challenged that claim and accused the companies of negligence.
Lawyers representing victims of the collapse and their families, including Cervantes Suarez, have also pledged to hold the companies accountable.
A federal court in Maryland will ultimately decide who’s responsible and how much they owe in what could become one of the most expensive maritime disasters in history.
Officials have pledged to rebuild the bridge, which could cost at least $1.7 billion and take several years.
During a Senate committee hearing in July, Maryland senators reiterated calls for Congress to approve a spending measure that would allow the federal government to cover 100% of the rebuild effort.
The sections of the bridge that remain standing will be demolished in the coming months to make way for the new structure.
Roberto Marquez, an artist from Dallas, speaks during an interview with the Associated Press at a memorial site to honor the construction workers who lost their lives in the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
CREDIT: Associated Press
GROUND ZERO
Tradepoint Atlantic: A valuable asset in the bridge recovery
Story By: Demetrius Dillard
Forever etched in the historical fabric of the Baltimore region and its residents, the day the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed will never be forgotten.
Affecting more than 1 million Baltimorearea residents, the Key Bridge tragedy had a staggering effect on the region’s economy as thousands of Port of Baltimore jobs were directly impacted.
Characterized as a “global crisis” by Gov. Wes Moore, the bridge incident prompted action from multiple local, state and federal agencies – whether it was funding, legislation, resources or relief programs geared toward recovery efforts.
It has been just over three months since the tragedy occurred, and while the channel over the Patapsco River has reopened for commercial vessel traffic, the region still has a long road ahead.
A local establishment based in Sparrows Point
The view of the Francis Scott Key Bridge from Tradepoint Atlantic was stunning.
CREDIT: Tradepoint Atlantic
WHEN THE BRIDGE COLLAPSED, IT ALTERED THAT
SKYLINE FOREVER
has played a key role in the recovery efforts.
Tradepoint Atlantic, a 3,300-acre global logistics center that is the largest open port in Baltimore, is situated just outside the Fort McHenry Channel and is only about 5.5 miles from the starting point of the Key Bridge.
The company, fortunately, wasn’t directly affected by the bridge collapse besides the traveling burden for many of its employees who used the Key Bridge on their daily commute. Considering its proximity to the Key Bridge and expansive capacity as a logistics hub for large freight vehicles, Tradepoint Atlantic has been a valuable asset in bridge recovery efforts.
Shortly following the tragedy, Tradepoint Atlantic accepted salvaged portions of the bridge. Its marine terminal cleared five acres to store and process recovered bridge wreckage. According to a Capital News Service report, a modified grant program between Baltimore County and the U.S. Department of Transportation allowed Tradepoint Atlantic to pave 10 acres to facilitate salvage operations.
Steel debris and other salvaged material were taken to a recycling center.
Based at the former location of Bethlehem Steel mills, Tradepoint Atlantic has established itself as a fixture in Baltimore County, bringing back industry and jobs at a site that once employed tens of thousands of local residents.
The company has contributed largely to the growth of the Port of Baltimore through the added capacity for vessel cargo and rail cargo, and more than 10 million square feet
of industrial logistics facilities built to service the regional transportation, distribution and logistics economy.
Prior to the collapse, the logistics center didn’t have much of a connection to Key Bridge outside of using the thoroughfare to transport cargo to markets along the Interstate 95 corridor, according to Aaron Tomarchio, Tradepoint Atlantic’s executive vice president of corporate affairs.
“We had a stunning view of the Key Bridge. It was an iconic structure that was a part of our skyline for decades,” Tomarchio said. “When the bridge collapsed, it altered that skyline forever, so we felt like that was kind of a loss for the community emotionally.”
The company is in the process of implementing a port expansion project that, once completed, is expected to create numerous jobs and may be particularly beneficial for port workers whose jobs were affected by the bridge collapse.
The project, named Sparrows Point Container Terminal, is a proposed 330acre redevelopment project consisting of 168 acres for a new container terminal and intermodal yard.
The container terminal is a joint effort between Tradepoint Atlantic and Terminal Investment Limited that represents a major growth opportunity for the Baltimore region and beyond. The planned state-of-the-art container terminal will enable Baltimore to “evolve from a regional port into a true hub to cover all of the East Coast and through the Midwest.”
"Sparrows Point Container Terminal represents a once in a lifetime opportunity
to bring positive, lasting change to the Baltimore region and the state of Maryland,”
Tradepoint Atlantic Managing Director Kerry Doyle said in a statement. “With over $1.5 billion in benefits to the state’s economy and the creation of over 8,000 jobs, this new container terminal will not only be an asset to the state but will secure the Port of Baltimore’s standing on the Eastern Seaboard for generations to come.”
This project, made possible by a billiondollar private investment, involves the Mediterranean Shipping Company, which made a commitment to the project that will expand the Port of Baltimore’s container handling capacity by an estimated 70 percent, according to Tomarchio.
“It is a significant project that will alter the commodity flow and commerce along the eastern seaboard of the United States,” Tomarchio said. “It’s a significant project that will create 1,100 direct jobs and another 7,000 jobs that will be induced into the community.”
The container terminal project was announced in October 2022. Currently, officials are working through the permitting process and are hopeful that the project will be in a position to begin construction at the end of 2025 with a targeted opening date either by the end of 2027 or early 2028.
“What we’re talking about with this project is new jobs and new economic investment
and growth for the port,” Tomarchio said.
“The message to the global shipping community out of Baltimore is ‘we are building back quicker, bigger and stronger than what we were.’ ... We think it aligns beautifully in the recovery story for the port in that you have this major private investment occurring and this new capacity coming.”
Tradepoint Atlantic is a potential site for the base of operations for the Key Bridge rebuild. Tomarchio said the company has garnered interest from contractors trying to put bids in.
“We think there’s a possibility that Tradepoint Atlantic could play a role in being a staging area for the Key Bridge,” he said in a recent interview with the Dundalk Eagle. However, because the Maryland Transportation Authority is entirely responsible for the rebuild of the bridge, officials from that agency will select a contractor. Tomarchio suspects that for the time being, Tradepoint Atlantic’s role in the Key Bridge rebuild will be tangential until the company hears otherwise from the transportation authority.
“We’re in constant communication with MDTA and have a good partnering relationship with them,” Tomarchio said. “If they see that there’s a role for us directly to be involved with them in the rebuild of the Key Bridge, I’m sure they’ll have that conversation with us.”
CREDIT: Tradepoint Atlantic
The Tradepoint Atlantic property on the site of the former Bethlehem Steel mills.
BRAWNER BUILDERS, INC.
Brawner Builders, Inc. was founded in 1980 and offers road, bridge, and school construction. The firm was built on the principles of honesty, integrity, service, and diversity.
Early on, our company was not well known and was lacking a reputation in the industry from which to build,” David Berkhimer, Vice President of Infrastructure explains, “Consequently, every client was a new client, which gave us an incredible opportunity to prove our expertise and leave a lasting impression. We tried many things for the first time with each instance yielding success rather than failure. We believe customer service and quality of service are above all else and every employee has a voice. Every employee will be heard.”
Brawner Builders, Inc. has grown and merged its two offices into one main headquarters in Hunt Valley, MD. Through this change, they have been able to maintain our hands-on approach with all of their clients and colleagues. They have been involved in building renovations, new construction of offices, shopping centers, heavy industrial plants, academic institutions, roads, and bridges. David
announces, “At Brawner, we believe that we will be prepared for any challenge we may face and will continue to set the standard of excellence in the construction field.”
“We lost six members of our Brawner family in the collapse of the Key Bridge. Words cannot express the impact we have felt as a company to lose six of our brothers or the gratitude we have for the community that has rallied around us and the families in its wake,” Berkhimer tells us.
Anyone who would like to donate to these families can do so by visiting our website at www.brawnerbuilders.com and follow the link to the GoFundMe page referenced in the top banner or through the charity organization, the Brawner Employees Family Survival Fund Corp established solely for their support by contacting David Berkhimer at (410)666-2500 for more information. 100% of all donations received will go to these families. To our six fallen brothers and the seven families affected that day, we love you and miss you.
