On Tuesday morning, a major bridge in Baltimore collapsed after being struck by a container ship, causing several vehicles to plummet into the water below.

The collision occurred when the ship hit a pillar supporting a section of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which spans the Patapsco River southeast of the Baltimore metropolitan area along Interstate 695.

Dramatic video footage captured the moment of impact, showing smoke rising from the vessel as the bridge and the road it carried collapsed into the river. Prior to the collision, a livestream depicted cars and trucks traversing the bridge. Despite the incident, the ship did not sink, and its lights remained illuminated.

A spokesperson for the Baltimore Police Department confirmed to NBC News that they were responding to the incident.

"I can confirm at 1:35 a.m., Baltimore City police were notified of a partial bridge collapse, with workers possibly in the water, at the Francis Scott Key Bridge," stated Detective Niki Fennoy in a statement.

Additionally, the U.S. Coast Guard informed NBC News that they received a report at 1:27 a.m. ET regarding a "motor vessel" colliding with the bridge. The vessel involved was identified as the DALI, a 948-foot container ship flying under the flag of Singapore.

"USCG has deployed three response boats, and pollution responders are en route," stated Petty Officer First Class Matthew West, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard.

Kevin Cartright, the director of communications at the Baltimore Fire Department, informed the Associated Press that an unspecified number of individuals had fallen into the water, describing the situation as a "dire emergency." "Our focus right now is trying to rescue and recover these people," he emphasized.

The Maryland Transport Authority confirmed that the I-695 was closed due to the collapse of the Key Bridge following a "ship strike."

Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr., stated on X that he was aware of the incident and had been in contact with the fire service chief, the mayor of Baltimore, and other local officials. "Please pray for those impacted," he urged.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott stated on X that he was en route to the bridge. "Emergency personnel are on scene, and efforts are underway," he confirmed.

NBC News reached out to other emergency response agencies for additional details.

The Key Bridge, built in 1977 and locally referred to as the Key Bridge, was later named after the author of the American national anthem.

Spanning more than 8,500 feet or 1.2 miles in total, the bridge's main section stretches 1,200 feet and was one of the longest continuous truss bridges globally upon completion, according to the National Steel Bridge Alliance.

Both the river and the port of Baltimore play crucial roles in the shipping industry on the East Coast, generating over $3.3 billion annually and directly employing more than 15,000 individuals.