The Nationwide Transportation Security Board (NTSB) head advised reporters on Tuesday that earlier than anybody can take into consideration cleansing up the particles from now collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, the main target will probably be on the households and people impacted by the tragic and devastating occasion.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy gave reporters an replace throughout a press briefing, although she prefaced the briefing by saying she wouldn’t be answering questions on fatalities, deferring these inquiries to native companies.

As an alternative, she stated the NTSB will step again to permit the Coast Guard and others concerned in search and rescue efforts after the main bridge was struck by a container ship and collapsed at about 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning.

Homendy stated a group of specialists will examine all the things main as much as the crash, together with nautical operations, vessel operations, security historical past, the ships security file, proprietor operations, firm coverage, security administration, human efficiency, engineering, survival elements and extra.

She additionally stated the freeway security group and structural engineers will help with the investigation.

A household help group will probably be on website to assist households, pals and family members, of these affected by the collapse.

“This is a team effort,” Homendy stated, including there have been a variety of entities within the command put up.

So far as the variety of vehicles and employees on the bridge on the time of the collapse, Homendy stated that info must be verified.

She stated she doesn’t imagine anybody is considering the following steps of cleansing up the bridge and getting the delivery route reopened. As an alternative, Homendy stated, this was about households.

“Nobody is going by a number,” she stated. “They are just looking and searching.”

Homendy advised reporters she was not conscious of the bridge being flagged for security deficiencies prior to now, although the investigation will look into that. She additionally stated, although, that the investigation within the bridge’s historical past may take at the very least two years and won’t be verified on the scene.

Nonetheless, Homendy stated there was not a variety of info to offer on the time of the presser, as she and her group solely simply acquired there.

“Really, the focus is on the families,” she stated.