Named for Star Spangled Banner author, the Francis Scott Key Bridge was part of Baltimore's identity

The bridge that collapsed into a Maryland river after a ship strike Tuesday was iconic erected almost five decades ago, named after the author of th...

The bridge that collapsed into a Maryland river after a ship strike Tuesday was iconic - erected almost five decades ago, named after the author of the Star Spangled Banner, and part of the very fabric of Baltimore.

Built near the spot where Francis Scott Key witnessed the bombardment of a fort that inspired what would become America’s national anthem, the namesake bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River after being struck by a ship that reported losing power just before the crash. Rescue crews were looking for six people who remained unaccounted for Tuesday afternoon.

"The words ‘the Key Bridge is gone,’ it's still sinking in,” said Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. "For 47 years, that's all we've known. It's not just unprecedented; it's heartbreaking.”

Moore said the bridge was "a normal commuting route for 30,000 Marylanders every day.” It had 185 feet of clearance above the water and was a key cog in the region's transportation infrastructure.

David Belew, a vice president of the Maryland Center for History and Culture, said the Francis Scott Key Bridge was visible from Baltimore's downtown office towers and "became inextricably linked with our sense of place, a part of commuters’ daily routines and an artery for commerce.”