Chesapeake Bay Bridge crash: 23 vehicles involved, 13 injured

Keith Demko, Salisbury Daily Times
Updated ·2 min read

Editor's note: This story has been updated to revise the number of vehicles involved in the crash after new information from the Maryland Transportation Authority.

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge was closed Saturday for several hours due to a crash involving multiple vehicles and multiple injuries.

Here's what we know so far.

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Crash involved 23 vehicles, injured 13 people

Facebook user Tammy Payne posted these photos from the scene of the multi-vehicle crash that shut down the westbound span of the Chesapeake Bridge on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024.
Facebook user Tammy Payne posted these photos from the scene of the multi-vehicle crash that shut down the westbound span of the Chesapeake Bridge on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024.

In an update released Monday, Maryland Transportation Authority Police said 23 vehicles were involved in the massive crash on the Bay Bridge, injuring 13 people and snarling traffic for about six hours.

Two people were taken to hospitals with serious injuries, authorities said. Eleven others also were hurt. None of the injuries were considered life threatening.

Westbound lanes reopened Saturday afternoon, the Maryland Transportation Authority said on X. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

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Traffic cameras showed emergency vehicles with flashing lights and traffic not moving on the westbound lanes of the bridge. Several tow trucks removed vehicles involved in the crash from the bridge.

The Anne Arundel County Police Department said motorists should anticipate heavy delays in Annapolis and Kent Island for an extended period of time.

Earlier in the day, the Kent Island Volunteer Fire Department said in a post on Facebook that volunteers responded to the multi-vehicle crash on the westbound span of the bridge, and advised drivers to avoid the area and move over for responding units.

The Kent Island Volunteer Fire Department released this photo of the multi-vehicle collision that shut down all westbound lanes of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on Saturday morning, Jan. 27, 2024.
The Kent Island Volunteer Fire Department released this photo of the multi-vehicle collision that shut down all westbound lanes of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on Saturday morning, Jan. 27, 2024.

The Saturday forecast for Anne Arundel County called for patchy fog, but it's not known what role that might have played in the accident.

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Dramatic photos captured by Facebook user stuck on bridge

Facebook user Tammy Payne posted these dramatic photos from the multi-vehicle crash as she got caught in the long backup behind it. At 12:36 p.m., Payne sent a message via FB after the long time stuck behind the major crash: "We're off!"

A live video from the scene

WBFF Fox 45 TV of Baltimore released this live video from the scene of the accident Saturday morning:

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: 23 vehicles in Chesapeake Bay Bridge crash, 13 injured