Baltimore Key Bridge collapse: Temporary channel opens for boats working on bridge response

Three officers from the Maryland Transportation Authority were celebrated at the Baltimore Orioles' opening day on Thursday for their bravery responding to the bridge collapse.

"Their courage, bravery, and quick thinking saved lives," Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said in a statement. "When duty called, they answered. When crisis struck, they stepped into the breach for total strangers. In this time of challenge, they’re a bright light for our nation and our state."

The officers -- Sgt. Paul Pastorek, Cpl. Jeremy Herbert and officer Garry Kirts -- said in a joint statement, "You train for years to respond to tragedy as an officer, but no amount of training could have prepared anyone for the events that took place on the Francis Scott Key Bridge."

"We were proud to carry out our duties as officers of this state to save the lives that we could, and we are grateful for the incredible amount of support from this community that we love so much," they said. "While your messages and outreaches are so appreciated, we respectfully ask for privacy at this time as we mourn the lives of those lost and spend time with those we hold dear."

-ABC News’ Beatrice Peterson

The bodies of two of the six construction workers killed were recovered on Wednesday, found by divers trapped in a pickup truck submerged underwater, police said.

The other four victims have not been recovered.

The workers found on Wednesday were identified by police as Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, a native of Mexico who lived in Baltimore, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, a native of Guatemala who lived in Dundalk, Maryland.

Among the four still missing is construction worker Miguel Luna, 49, a father of five, and Maynor Suazo Sandoval, a father of two.

Click here to read more.

Divers are on pause due to the "hazardous conditions" caused by the collision, and officials are enforcing a 2,000-yard safety zone, according to the Unified Command leading the response.

The Unified Command is made up of agencies including the Coast Guard, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Maryland State Police.

"First responders have observed a sheen around the vessels," the Unified Command said.

Perfumes and soaps make up the majority of the 13 impacted containers with hazardous materials, according to the Unified Command.

"Crews continue to assess and monitor for spilled oils and hazardous substances to prevent further discharge," the Unified Command said in a statement Thursday.

"We have been conducting air monitoring on the vessel and around the vessel with our contractor. No volatile organic compounds or flammable vapors were observed," the Unified Command said. "Pollution and debris removal operations are on-going. At this time, no atmospheric hazards have been detected."

The Unified Command said it’s also monitoring water quality.

The Environmental Protection Agency said it sent two coordinators to work with the Coast Guard and other agencies.

-ABC News’ Sam Sweeney

The state of Maryland has requested $60 million in emergency relief funds from the federal government "for our immediate response efforts and to lay the foundation for a rapid recovery," Gov. Wes Moore said in a statement.

The governor’s office said the funds are "needed for the state to proceed as quickly and safely as possible with debris removal, demolition, traffic operations and other emergency needs," and that this "request is supplemental to funding provided by other federal partners to provide complementary work for the emergency response."

This request is not related to bridge reconstruction efforts. The governor’s office said the state "is working to develop the preliminary scope and engineering estimate of future financial needs."

President Joe Biden announced earlier this week that the federal government will pay for the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

-ABC News’ Beatrice Peterson