Barge Slams Into Texas Bridge, Partially Collapsing It And Sending Oil Into The Water

A barge in Galveston, Texas slammed into a bridge on the morning of May 15, spilling oil into the water and forcing officials to shut down the bridge’s eastern span. Additionally, it appears that a second section of the rail line that runs alongside the bridge has collapsed into the water below with slabs of concrete piling up on the barge.

Luckily, it doesn’t look like anyone was injured at the Pelican Island Bridge, according to a statement from the city of Galveston. Emergency management officials from Galveston, Texas A&M University at Galveston, the state, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Texas Department of Transportation all responded to the crash.

“The collision has resulted in an oil spill in the bay,” the statement from the city read. “The U.S. Coast Guard is responding and will determine the extent of the spill, as well as initiate the containment and cleanup processes.”

The statement also said that engineers from the Texas DOT are inspecting the roadway to determine if there’s significant damage. Because of that, the bridge will remain closed until it’s determined to be safe.

This news comes less than two months after the Key Bridge disaster. To refresh your memory, a massive container ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore back in March, collapsing it and killing six workers in the process.

This is a developing story and Jalopnik will continue to update it as more information becomes available.