MTA Personnel Save Lives With Quick Actions in Key Bridge Tragedy
By Mike Kline, ASA Communications
In the movies, the heroes often swoop in to save the day with mere seconds to spare before disaster strikes.
Seconds also count in real life.
In the case of the Key Bridge collapse on March 26th, the quick actions of a handful of first responders helped to minimize the loss of life in the tragedy.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore is a major artery for the region with an estimated 31,000 travelers using the bridge daily. The March 26th collapse means that thousands of people have had to pivot and find other routes to get from Point A to Point B. While it’s an annoyance, it’s trivial compared to the knowledge that people lost their lives in the accident.
Six contractors, part of a maintenance team that was on the bridge fixing potholes, didn’t make it home from their shift. The men were fathers, husbands, sons, and brothers. Four of the men have been recovered while two are still missing.
At ASA, we know that construction is dangerous work. From heavy tools to risky work sites, shifting weather to freak accidents, often mundane situations can quickly turn tragic. In the aftermath, we’re always looking to ascribe blame, and that will certainly come in this situation.
But for now, we want to mourn the lives lost and we want to celebrate the people whose quick actions ensured that numerous other lives would be saved.
- First, the crew of the ship who radioed a mayday when they recognized that their ship was out of control.
- Next the pilot association dispatcher who contacted police to halt traffic.
- And finally, the Maryland Transportation Authority officers who closed the bridge moments before it collapsed.
This all happened within 4 minutes from 1:26am – 1:30am.
Serious people doing important work focused on their tasks and jumped into action when it was required. These are the kinds of people Mr. Rogers was talking about in his famous “look for the helpers” quote.
The sad part is that events happened too quickly to save the workers on the bridge. As soon as the officers stopped traffic, they were trying to notify the work crew to leave the bridge when the ship hit.
Lost in the accident were:
- Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35
- Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26
- Miguel Luna, 49
- Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval, 38
- Jose Mynor Lopez, 30
- Carlos Hernandez
The three Maryland Transportation Authority officers who sprang into action are:
- Sergeant Paul Pastorek
- Corporal Jeremy Herbert
- Officer Garry Kirts
Our hearts are simultaneously filled with sadness and pride. Sad for the men who lost their lives on the job, and proud of the men who prevented the loss of more. It’s the quintessential reflection of the human condition. We ask that you keep the families of the men lost, and the men who saved lives, in your prayers.
