Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse leaves void in Baltimore community: 'Icon of the city'

BALTIMORE -- The Francis Scott Key Bridge was a fixture in the communities that surrounded it for 47 years, and its absence has a huge impact on those who live nearby.

"Every day I go over the bridge at least twice," said Kevin Ladd, from Pasadena.

It was a vital part of everyday life, gone in a matter of seconds.

A cargo ship crashed into the bridge around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday knocking eight road workers into the water. Two were recovered near the site in a red pickup truck, while four others are presumed to be dead as a recovery operation continues on the Patapsco River

"I couldn't believe it," said Michael Singer, from Pasadena. "You know, it's an icon of the city. Your town is associated with this structure and then overnight it's gone, it's just shocking."

The Francis Scott Key Bridge connected Ladd to his students at Kenwood High School in Essex.

"Every day as I go over the bridge, it calms me down," Ladd said. "I admire the view, I look out at the city, I look out at the Chesapeake Bay as the sun is rising in the morning, it's just a beautiful sight."

Ladd said his daily commute will now take twice as long. But for him, the bridge meant more than convenience.

"A lot of times my wife and I would bike down here to Riviera Beach and sit on the beach down here and watch the big ships go in and out and watch the key bridge," Ladd said. "It's just really startling to see the view from here."

The startling view is now seen from high-rise offices in Baltimore and waterfront neighborhoods in Anne Arundel County.  

"People are somehow attached to it and so you buy a home on the water like this and it's a part of your view," Singer said. "It kind of frames your view…and now the frame is gone." 

It's a haunting reminder of the tragedy that took place.

"It's just eerie and surreal you can't believe it," Singer said.