Hazardous materials stored in 56 containers on cargo ship that toppled Baltimore Key Bridge: Coast Guard

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Dozens of containers onboard the cargo ship that toppled the Baltimore Key Bridge have hazardous materials inside — with some having already spilled into the harbor waters, according to officials.

The Singapore-based Dali tanker was carrying 56 containers laden with 764 tons of hazardous materials -including corrosives, flammables and lithium ion batteries, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said in a briefing Wednesday.

Some of the containers "were breached," Homendy said, with authorities "aware" that some of the hazardous materials spilled in the Baltimore harbor.

The Coast Guard shared that dozens of containers onboard the cargo ship that toppled the Baltimore Key Bridge have hazardous materials inside. BCFD Engine 5, Truck 3, Medic 10

The "release" had created "a sheen" on the surface of the water, she said, without detailing how extensive it was.

However, a senior Coast Guard official earlier stressed that most of the dangerous containers were unaffected by the crash and that there was "no threat to the public."

Federal, state and local authorities will be in charge of "addressing" the apparent spill, Homendy added.

A preliminary NTSB report on the maritime disaster should come in two to four weeks, but the full investigation could take 12 to 24 months.

"It's a massive undertaking for an investigation," Homendy said.

The Coast Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers will lead cleanup efforts — to remove the ship, the mangled remains of the steel bridge and any vehicles trapped below the wreck in the depths of the Patapsco River.

Officials stressed that there is "no threat to the public" as most of the potentially dangerous containers were unaffected by the collision. AP The Coast Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers will lead cleanup efforts. Unknown via Storyful

The massive container ship is stuck in place, held down on its bow by the weight of a piece of the bridge, according to Gautier.

"The real critical thing here is that, as you know, a portion of the bridge remains on the bow on that ship, and we will be coordinating very closely with the Army Corps of Engineers and their contractors to first effect the removal of that debris before the vessel can then be removed," he said. "The vessel bow is sitting on the bottom because of the weight of that bridge debris on there."

Divers recovered two bodies from the river Wednesday but had to suspend their search for the remaining four people missing because the bridge rubble beneath the surface of the water is unstable and dangerous.

Everything you need to know about the Francis Scott Key Bridge's collapse in Baltimore

The Dali, the Singapore-flagged container ship that smashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore and destroyed it early Tuesday, reportedly lost propulsion and tried to warn officials that it was going to crash, according to a report.
Six people were unaccounted for, according to authorities. Two people were pulled from the river by rescuers.
Seven vehicles were missing after falling from the 1.6-mile-long span. Officials are using sonar technology to find the vehicles.
Videos show power on the ship flickering off, and then on again, shortly before the crash. Watch footage of the bridge's collapse here.
A Baltimore resident described how the horrifying collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday caused his entire house to feel like it was falling down.
The Dali was also involved in a collision while leaving the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, in 2016.

The ship's path before the collision into Baltimore's Key Bridge.

Follow along with The Post's coverage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore.

Search parties believe that the bodies of the other individuals — who were likely inside vehicles that were on the bridge when it collapsed — are trapped beneath the rubble.

Once the wreck is cleared, the divers will continue their efforts to retrieve the bodies.

At least six people — construction workers who were repairing potholes on the bridge roadbeds — were killed in the disaster.

Once the wreck is cleared, the divers will continue their efforts to retrieve the bodies. AP

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Authorities also hope to clear the wreckage to create a path for shipping purposes with access to the Port of Baltimore.

The crumbled remains of the 1.6-mile bridge are blocking one of the US's busiest ports and threatening to disrupt $80 billion in cargo and more than 140,000 jobs.

The government will eventually build a new bridge — though it's expected to take years.

"Rebuilding will not be quick or easy or cheap, but we will get it done," US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told reporters Wednesday.

"This will be a long and difficult path," he added. "But we will come together around Baltimore and we will rebuild together."

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