Published 23:05 IST, May 15th 2024

BREAKING: Barge Hits Bridge in Texas, Damaging Structure and Causing Oil Spill

A barge hit a bridge in Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road to a small island.

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Oil spills into the surrounding waters after a barge hit a bridge in Galveston, Texas on May 15, 2024. | Image: (KTRK via AP)
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Galveston: 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 that leads to Pelican Island, located just north of Galveston, was hit by a barge around 9:30 a.m., said Ronnie Varela, with the Galveston’s Office of Emergency Management.

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Varela did not have any immediate information on damage to the bridge or if there were any injuries. Aerial video showed portions of a rail line that runs parallel to the bridge on top of the barge.

Varela said the collision caused an oil spill and that crews were working to clean it up.

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Oil spills into the surrounding waters after a barge hit a bridge in Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. A bridge that leads to Pelican Island, located just north of Galveston, was hit by a barge around 9:30 a.m., said Ronnie Varela, with the Galveston’s Office of Emergency Management.(KTRK via AP)

The Galveston County Sheriff’s Office told KTRK that a large piece of the bridge fell. Pictures broadcast by KTRK showed pieces of concrete on the barge.

In an online statement, Texas A&M University at Galveston said: “The Pelican Island Bridge is closed to all traffic at this time due to a barge strike. Electricity has been restored and additional updates will be provided as the situation unfolds.”

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23:05 IST, May 15th 2024