A barge slammed into a bridge in Galveston on Wednesday, spilling oil into the bay and forcing a shutdown of the east Texas span, officials said, in the latest accident involving prominent U.S. thoroughfares.
Aerial images showed that a section of a rail line alongside the bridge appeared to have collapsed, with slabs of concrete piled up on the barge.
No injuries were immediately reported at the Pelican Island Bridge, following the 10 a.m. CDT incident, according to a statement by the city of Galveston.
“The collision has resulted in an oil spill in the bay,” the city said. “The U.S. Coast Guard is responding and will determine the extent of the spill, as well as initiate the containment and cleanup processes.”
A container ship hit the the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, killing six people.
And just two weeks ago, Interstate 95 in Connecticut was closed after a tanker truck, filled with gasoline, burst into flames and forced closure of the one of the eastern seaboard’s most important thoroughfares.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.