US provides Maryland $60 million to start rebuilding collapsed Baltimore bridge

The U.S. government awarded the state of Maryland an initial $60 million in emergency funds on Thursday to clear debris and begin rebuilding the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, an extraordinarily fast disbursement after such a disaster, Reuters reports.

The bridge came tumbling down early on March 26 after a massive cargo freighter that had lost power plowed into the structure in Baltimore Harbor. Two bodies have been recovered and four others are missing and presumed dead, believed to be trapped in a vehicle beneath concrete and steel that fell into the water, the report adds.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore requested $60 million and within hours the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration approved the request to fund emergency work. Such funding, according to Reuters, typically takes days, but President Joe Biden told reporters on Tuesday he directed the federal government to "move heaven and earth" to quickly rebuild the bridge.

Moore told a press conference the top priority was to recover the missing construction workers who were conducting repairs on the bridge when the vessel known as the Dali struck a support column around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. Officials then hope to clear the channel in order to resume shipping operations; tend to workers, families and first responders affected by the tragedy; and rebuild the bridge.

But first a team of experts must assess how to remove the stuck vessel, loaded with thousands of containers and trapped by bridge debris.

Federal officials have told Maryland lawmakers the final cost of rebuilding the bridge could soar to at least $2 billion, Roll Call newspaper reported, citing a source familiar with the discussions.