Former Secretary of Transportation Jim Burnley predicted the next steps that will proceed after the massive collapse of a Baltimore bridge Tuesday on Fox News, highlighting the agency viewers should focus on.
Burnley appeared on “The Ingraham Angle” to discuss the collapse of Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday morning due to being struck by a container ship. Fox host Laura Ingraham questioned the former secretary on his thoughts regarding the accident and what steps “should happen next” as the port affected is considered “critical.” (RELATED: Baltimore Bridge Collapses After Being Hit By Container Ship)
Burnley began by first calling attention to the six apparent fatalities before stating that he expects the National Transportation Safety Board to be leading the investigation into the bridge collapse. Burnley noted how the agency is a bipartisan group led by “highly-esteemed” subject matter experts who, he predicts, will call on various federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).
“Laura, first let me mention the six apparent fatalities, apparently all highway maintenance workers. That’s one of the most dangerous and underappreciated jobs in America. Usually, it’s motorists that threaten them and in this case, a bridge comes down,” Burnley stated.
“The way this should proceed, and I expect it will proceed, is the investigation will be led by what I believe is the most credible agency in the United States government – that’s the National Transportation Safety Board,” he continued. “It is bipartisan [and] in fact its most recent appointee was chief of staff at DOT [Department of Transportation] during the Trump Administration. It has a highly esteemed group of subject matter experts, it will call on the various federal agencies at DOT, at DHS [Department of Homeland Security] – the Army Corps of Engineers, in this case, will be involved.”
“It will probably take quite a few months before they get the bottom line conclusions. But that’s where we should all be focused, is on that agency and what it concludes. It will make recommendations that I hope both the executive branch and Congress will take very seriously – whatever they are,” Burnley stated.
Video footage surfaced online of the bridge collapsing into the Patapsco River after a container ship, Dalia, chartered by a Danish shipping company hit the structure. Along with the damage to both the ship and bridge, multiple vehicles were also caught falling into the water. Authorities stated that at least two people had been rescued by Tuesday morning, however, six others are now presumed dead as officials have called off search and rescue efforts.