WASHINGTON, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The Francis Scott Key Bridge in the U.S. city of Baltimore collapsed early Tuesday after a large ship collided with it, and local authorities were trying to rescue at least seven people.

According to a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, a large ship crashed into the bridge and caught fire before sinking, sending several vehicles into the Patapsco River.

"All lanes closed both directions for incident on I-695 Key Bridge. Traffic is being detoured," the Maryland Transportation Authority posted on X.

Emergency responders were searching for at least seven people who were believed to be in the water, Baltimore City Fire Department Chief James Wallace said during a news conference Tuesday morning.

Two people were rescued from the Patapsco River, with one not injured and the other taken to a local trauma center in "very serious condition," said Wallace.

The Baltimore Fire Department's communication director Kevin Cartwright said that authorities received 911 calls around 1:30 a.m. local time (0530 GMT) reporting that a ship traveling outbound from Baltimore had struck a pillar on the bridge, causing it to collapse.

Several vehicles are believed to have fallen into the water, including one as sizable as a tractor-trailer, Cartwright noted.

A container ship named the DALI, flying the flag of Singapore and measuring 948 feet in length, collided with the bridge, said Kimberly Reaves, the public affairs officer for the U.S. Coast Guard's 5th District.

Video footage showed that the collision send significant smoke and flames into the sky, with a section of the bridge seemingly collapsing onto the vessel's front.

"We will remain in close contact with federal, state and local entities that are carrying out rescue efforts as we continue to assess and respond to this tragedy," said Governor Wes Moore, who declared a state of emergency Tuesday morning following the collapse. Enditem

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