Authorities say a barge hit a bridge in Galveston, Texas, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road to a small island.
GALVESTON, Texas– A barge hit a bridge in Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road to a small island, officials said.
A bridge leading to Pelican Island, located just north of Galveston, was struck by a barge around 9:30 a.m., said Ronnie Varela of the Galveston Office of Emergency Management.
Varela had no immediate information on damage to the bridge or if there were any injuries.
Varela said the collision caused an oil spill and crews were working to clean it up.
The Galveston County Sheriff’s Office told KTRK that a large portion of the bridge fell. Images broadcast by KTRK showed pieces of concrete on the barge.
In an online statement, Texas A&M-U Galveston said, “The Pelican Island Bridge is currently closed to all traffic due to a barge strike. Power has been restored and additional updates will be provided as the situation develops.
ABC News
