Attorneys representing one of the survivors of the Key Bridge collapse and the families of two victims are claiming that construction crews were not warned before a barge struck the bridge.
The cargo boat Dali caused the Baltimore bridge to crumple and collapse on March 26 after losing power, drifting and hitting a support column. A road repair crew of six men, including survivor Julio Cervantes, were sent plunging into the waters below the bridge.
Mr. Cervantes and his co-workers were not warned before the Dali hit that column, attorneys said at a news conference Monday.
“They got absolutely zero warning. He had no idea. He watched everybody go into the water. They were not warned. They were actually sitting in their cars on break,” L. Chris Stewart, a member of the Stewart Miller Simmons law firm, said at the news conference, according to WBAL-TV.
Mr. Cervantes was able to roll down his window, escape the sinking car and then float on drifting debris until being rescued, Mr. Stewart added.
In addition to Mr. Cervantes, Mr. Stewart is also representing the families of victims Jose Maynor Lopez and Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, according to CNN.
The owners of the Dali, Grace Ocean Private Limited, and the managers of the boat, Synergy Marine Private Limited, filed a petition for “exoneration from liability for any and all losses or damage arising out of the [collision] and from any and all claims for damages that have been or may be filed,” on April 1, per court documents.
Synergy Marine spokesperson Darrell Wilson told The Associated Press that due to the significance of the collapse, “there are various government agencies conducting investigations, in which we are fully participating. Out of respect for these investigations and any future legal proceedings, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”
In an email to Maryland business and legal newspaper The Daily Record, Grace Ocean declined to comment on the situation.
The petition cites the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851, written to protect shipowners from the loss of property due to unforeseen circumstances such as weather or piracy.
The attorneys for Mr. Cervantes and the families of the victims say the petition adds insult to injury.
“It rubs salt in the wounds of the family members who must enter the claims process while they’re still mourning,” Kevin Mahoney, a lawyer with the Kreindler & Kreindler law firm also representing victims and their families, told WBAL-TV.
Federal law enforcement has also gotten involved. On Monday, FBI agents boarded the Dali.
“The FBI is present aboard the cargo ship Dali conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity,” the agency told Axios.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek Barron told Axios that, while his office does not confirm or comment on investigations, “we will seek accountability for anyone who may be responsible.”
The city of Baltimore has retained the services of two law firms, DiCello Levitt and Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky Trial Lawyers, as part of taking legal action against Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine.
The charterer of the boat, cargo company Maersk, and the boat’s manufacturers also face legal action from Baltimore. The National Transportation Safety Board has identified Korean conglomerate Hyundai as the manufacturer of the power and braking systems aboard the Dali, according to WJZ-TV.
“With the ship’s owner filing a petition to limit its liability mere days after the incident, we need to act equally as quickly to protect the city’s interests,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said in a release Monday.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.