Barge hits bridge in US state of Texas shutting down traffic

HOUSTON, United States

A barge carrying 30,000 gallons of oil struck a bridge Wednesday in Galveston, Texas, shutting down traffic and forcing evacuations.

The Galveston County Sheriff's Office said the barge broke tow from the tugboat carrying the vessel and slammed into the Pelican Island Causeway, which is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Houston.

Officials said the barge hit the railroad part of the bridge which is not in use, but emergency crews are assessing the overall structural damage and have shut down traffic in all directions, except for the evacuation of residents, according to media outlets.

The US Coast Guard is working to contain the leak from the containers on the barge. Officials described the 30,000 gallons of liquid as a heavy oil that is a byproduct of vacuum distillation of crude oil. They said the oil is flammable and can cause injury if the fumes are inhaled.

In addition to the causeway being closed, a 6.5-mile (10.5-kilometer) stretch of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway has been shut down to ship traffic.

No injuries have been reported but officials said two crew members were rescued after being thrown off the ship.