BREAKING: Barge hits Pelican Island Bridge in Texas causing portion to collapse
The bridge runs from Pelican Island to Galveston and is the only way off the island. It has been closed.
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The bridge runs from Pelican Island to Galveston and is the only way off the island. It has been closed.
A barge has hit a bridge in Galveston, Texas, causing a portion of it to collapse and causing an oil spill.
According to ABC 13, the Galveston County Sheriff's Office stated that a portion of the Pelican Island causeway collapsed following a barge hitting the bridge. It is the only road off the island. The incident caused an oil spill and happened at around 10 am local time. A portion of the railway side of the bridge fell and is not in use.
The vessel had been being towed when it broke loose and hit the structure. Officials told the outlet they believe two crew members either fell off the barge or jumped off during the crash. They have both been rescued.
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View on XAs a result of the oil spill, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway is being shut down as authorities respond. County Judge Mark Henry told reporters that the spill is going in that direction and the US Coast Guard decided to move quickly to close the waterway.
Texas A&M, the college on Pelican Island, shared a message on Wednesday to alert students of the collapse, "Sea Aggie Alert: 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. The next scheduled update will be at 1200."
The Pelican Island causeway is over 3,200 feet long and a proposal was set forth to replace it with construction starting in summer 2025.
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