(GALVESTON, Texas) – A barge struck a bridge in Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday, spilling oil into the surrounding waters and closing the only road to a small island, authorities said.
The bridge leading to Pelican Island, located 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 about damage to the bridge or whether there were any injuries. Aerial video showed sections of a railway line running parallel to the bridge on top of the barge. The railway line is no longer in service.
Varela said the collision caused an oil spill and that crews were working to clean it up.
The Galveston County Sheriff’s Office told KTRK that a large chunk of the bridge collapsed. Footage broadcast by KTRK showed chunks of concrete on the barge.
In an online statement, Texas A&M University in 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 develops.”
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
