March 26 (Reuters) - Baltimore's Francis Scott Key

bridge collapsed early on Tuesday after a container ship smashed

into the four-lane span, plunging cars into the river.

WHAT HAPPENED IN BALTIMORE?

At 1:30 a.m. ET (0530 GMT), a container ship named the Dali

was sailing down the Patapsco River when it struck a pylon of

the bridge, crumpling almost the entire structure into the

water. There was no indication of terrorism, police said.

ARE THERE ANY CASUALTIES?

The headlights of vehicles could be seen on the bridge as it

crashed into the water and the ship caught fire.

Baltimore officials said at least seven vehicles plunged

into the water. As many as 20 people could be in the river. At

least one person was seriously injured.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE SHIP THAT WAS INVOLVED?

The Dali was scheduled to sail on shipping company Maersk's

route to Sri Lanka, the Danish company's website

showed.

The registered owner of the Singapore-flagged ship is Grace

Ocean Pte Ltd and the manager is Synergy Marine Group, LSEG data

show. The ship is 948 feet (289 meters) long and was stacked

high with containers.

All its crew members, including the two pilots, have been

accounted for and there were no reports of any injuries.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE BRIDGE THAT COLLAPSED?

The Francis Scott Key bridge is a four-lane structure that sits

185 feet (56 meters) above the river. It opened in 1977 and

crosses the Patapsco River, where U.S. national anthem author

Francis Scott Key wrote the "Star Spangled Banner" in 1814 after

witnessing the British defeat at the Battle of Baltimore and the

British bombing of Fort McHenry.

The bridge carries 11.3 million vehicles a year, according

to the Maryland Transportation Authority, on the I-695 highway

that circles Baltimore, also known as the Baltimore Beltway.

(Writing by Lisa Shumaker; Editing by Daniel Wallis)