Man threatening to jump shuts bridge

The Key Bridge was closed for nearly 16 hours yesterday, causing miles of delays on the Baltimore Beltway as transportation authority police officers tried to persuade a man threatening suicide not to jump, authorities said.

The bridge was closed in both directions beginning at 4:03 a.m., said Lori A. Vidil, a spokeswoman for the Maryland Transportation Authority. The bridge reopened at 7:40 p.m. after the man surrendered to police. He was taken to St. Agnes HealthCare.

During the Beltway backup, a man whose car was stuck in traffic on the outer loop during the morning suffered a heart attack and died, Vidil said. His identity was not available.

Traffic was detoured to the Harbor Tunnel and Fort McHenry Tunnel, Vidil said. The bridge accommodates about 30,000 vehicles a day, she added.