BALTIMORE (WISH) — Baltimore city officials in a press conference early Tuesday morning provided updates on the “tragic” collapse of the Key Bridge overnight.

Baltimore City Fire Department Chief James Wallace, along with Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Baltimore city and county officials gathered for a 6:15 a.m. press conference at Fort Armistead to update the public on search and rescue operation.

Chief Wallace on timeline, search and rescue

Chief Wallace says around 1:50 a.m. the first unit arrived on scene and reported a complete collapse of the Key Bridge. “We were also given information at that time that there were multiple people on the bridge at the time of the collapse,” said Wallace.

The chief says crews were able to remove two people from the water. One of them refused service and refused transport. “That person was not injured. However, there was another individual that’s been transported to a local trauma center that is in very serious condition,” he said.

According to Wallace, multiple air assets from the Maryland State Police as well as the Baltimore Police Department as well as multiple marine assets from around the region including Baltimore city, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County as well as multiple local and state police agencies.

“We are still very much in an active search and rescue posture at this point and we will continue to be for some time. We have a large that we have to search. This includes on the surface of the water, sub surface, as well as on the deck of the ship itself,” said Wallace.

Wallace believes there could be upwards of seven people missing. “That’s the latest information we have. However, what I will say is the information that I’m giving you right now is as of right now. It’s what we know right now.”

“This is a very large incident and it involves a very large footprint. Multiple agencies are operating therefore information is subject to change as we get more intel,” he added. “We need to do damage assessment of the ship itself before we can board that ship and we need to continue our sub surface search which is including different types of sonar. “

Mayor Brandon Scott (D) on community support

Mayor Scott called the situation an “unthinkable tragedy.”

“We have to first and foremost pray for all. All of those who are impacted, those families. I pray for our first responders and thank them. All of them for working together. City, state, local to make sure that we are working through this tragedy,” he said.

Scott says search and rescue efforts are active. “As long as we have to be doing that, we will do it… We have to be thinking about the families and people impacted. Folks who we have to try and find and save.”

Public concerns

Towards the end of the press conference, members of the media raised many questions surrounding the situation.

Where is the crew of the ship? Chief Wallace confirms that the crew of the ship is still on board the ship. “There’s been comms between the ship crew and the coast guard. So, as part of the overall operation we communicate through the Coast guard with the ship,” he said.

How many cars on the deck? Chief Wallace says there is not an exact number.

“I can tell you our sonar has detected presence of vehicle submerged in the water. I don’t have a count on that.” said Wallace

Varying reports say 7 – 20 vehicles may be submerged in the water. Chief Wallace says he does not have an exact number.

“We have detected a presence of vehicles. As far as the number between the 7 and 20. That’s been a dynamic count throughout the morning. We do believe at least seven are involved in that,” he said.

Search and rescue details

Wallace says the team will be guided by the dive crews but he acknowledged there are a number of hurdles. “This water is current influenced. Right now, we think the tide is coming back in. That adds a bit of a challenge to us also. We can certainly dive in these conditions but we have to take a lot of factors into play.”

Wallace also acknowledged two of the issues are trauma and debris.

“There may be trauma involved. They have been in the water for an extended period of time but also remember we’re battling darkness. So, it’s quite possible we may have somebody there that we’ve not seen yet.

“As they work closer to the debris field, they’ll obviously make those determinations but we’re gonna rely on the experts which are our dive masters (and) our dive team to tell us when we’ve reached that non survivability point.

“My focus since 1:40 a.m. has been that rescue operation,” he said.

This is a developing story that will be updated.