Human Interest Video Shows Horrifying Moment Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapses After Being Struck by Cargo Ship The 948-foot container ship collided with the 1.6-mile bridge Tuesday morning at about 1:30 a.m. local time By Abigail Adams Abigail Adams Abigail Adams is a Human Interest Writer and Reporter for PEOPLE. She has been working in journalism for seven years. People Editorial Guidelines Published on March 26, 2024 11:43AM EDT Horrifying footage has surfaced of the moment a cargo ship hit the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday morning and caused it to collapse. The 948-foot container ship collided with the 1.6-mile bridge while traversing the Patapsco River at about 1:30 a.m. local time, according to NBC News and ABC News. The footage, obtained by PEOPLE, shows the Singapore-flagged tanker approaching the bridge when it hits a pillar on the left side of the screen, causing the bridge to collapse from left to right in a matter of seconds. Lights on both the ship and the bridge went out as a result of the collision, as well. Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse in Maryland: Read the Full Recap About the Incident in Baltimore Moments after the crash, a plume of smoke can be seen rising into the air from near the ship as the right side of the bridge continues to topple into the water. At a press conference Tuesday morning, Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld told reporters that eight workers were repairing potholes on the Francis Scott Key Bridge when the collapse occurred. Six people were “unaccounted for” as of Tuesday morning, all of whom are thought to be the construction workers, Wiedefeld added. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. At least two people have been rescued from the water, according to Baltimore Fire Department Chief James Wallace. A "mayday" call was issued after the freighter lost power just before it struck the bridge around 1:30 a.m. ET, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said at Tuesday’s press conference. He believes the warning likely saved lives. “We had officials that were able to begin to stop the flow of traffic so that more cars were not on the bridge,” Moore told reporters. “Many of the vehicles were stopped before they got on the bridge, which saved lives.” “These people are heroes," the governor added. Rescuers Searching for Multiple People amid Baltimore Bridge Collapse: 'An Unthinkable Tragedy' Baltimore mayor Brandon M. Scott declared "a local state of emergency in response to the collapse" Tuesday morning. The search for victims is ongoing. Kevin Cartwright, director of communications of the Baltimore City Fire Department, told CNN that freezing temperatures "pose a concern" to rescuers. "This happened at 1:30 a.m. with limited visibility," Cartwright explained, "so we are working aggressively, considering the environmental temperatures as well as the water temperatures to try and rescue and perhaps recover individuals."