Barge Slams Into Bridge In Galveston, Texas, Causing Oil Spill

Two workers were rescued and more may still need to be evacuated from Pelican Island. For now, bridge access to and from the island is shut down.

A cleanup operation has begun after a barge struck a bridge in Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday, spilling oil into the bay.

The Seawolf Parkway bridge, which provides the only road connecting Pelican Island and Galveston Island within the city of Galveston, was struck by the ship around 9:50 a.m.

There were no initial reports of injuries, according to a statement posted on the city’s Facebook page. ABC13 reported two crew members on the barge were rescued after either being thrown from the vessel or jumping off themselves. The city added evacuations from the island would be likely amid reports that workers were still trapped on the island.

The collision was caused when a tugboat lost control of two barges it was pushing while backing out of a fuel storage terminal. A barge that came loose crashed into a pillar supporting the unused railroad side of the bridge, spilling oil into surrounding waters. It’s not clear how much oil the barge was carrying.

The road remains closed while officials assess the damage to the bridge, which was built in the 1960s. The closure is causing major disruption since Pelican Island is home to a large shipyard, Texas A&M University of Galveston and Seawolf Park, a former immigration station that now attracts tourists to its fishing pier and decommissioned U.S. Navy vessels.