Barge Collides with Bridge in Galveston, Texas, Spilling Oil into Bay and Prompting University Closure

A barge slammed into a bridge in Galveston, Texas, causing chaos and oil spillage into the bay. The incident led to the closure of the bridge and the evacuation of Texas A&M University at Galveston’s campus on Pelican Island. The university announced the closure through the weekend due to the extended outage of the bridge.

Aerial images showed the aftermath of the collision, with a section of the rail line collapsed and concrete slabs piled on the barge. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, with two operators on the barge at the time of impact being rescued by the Texas A&M marine unit.

The bridge, initially closed, was reopened for outbound traffic, causing a large line of cars trying to exit Pelican Island. Around 200 people were on the island during the incident, with most being evacuated. The university is offering accommodations to students and faculty members living on Pelican Island, urging them to prepare to leave if necessary.

The barge was carrying a base petroleum product, leading to an oil spill in the bay. The U.S. Coast Guard is responding to contain and clean up the spill. This incident adds to a series of recent bridge and highway accidents across the country, including the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

Despite comparisons to other incidents, Galveston fire spokesperson Marissa Barnett emphasized that this incident is not on the same scale. The situation is being closely monitored as authorities work to address the aftermath of the barge collision in Galveston.