(Reuters) – A barge crashed into a bridge on the Texas coast on Wednesday, closing the only road to a small island off the city of Galveston, city officials said.
No injuries were reported and the Pelican Island Bridge remained standing after the ship struck it around 10 a.m., although oil spilled into the water as a result of the collision, the city of Galveston said in a statement.
The Pelican Island Bridge is located about 60 miles southeast of Houston.
“The U.S. Coast Guard is responding and will determine the extent of the spill and initiate containment and cleanup processes,” the statement said.
An investigation is underway, the statement said. Officials have not yet said what the cause of the accident may have been.
Engineers from the Texas Department of Transportation were en route to examine the bridge, which will remain closed until it is deemed safe, the city said.
The collision comes amid heightened concerns in the US about the vulnerability of bridges for large ships after a cargo ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, killing six people and causing the structure to collapse.
