Texas Bridge Partially Collapses After Barge Rams Into It

Almost two months after a cargo ship rammed into a bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, a barge has now rammed a different bridge, this time in Galveston, Texas. However, the collision only resulted in a partial collapse, but it triggered evacuations just in case.

The bridge that was hit was the Pelican Island Causeway, which connects the island to the rest of Texas. The collision has caused not only the bridge but also the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway to shut down.

The Galveston County Sheriff's Office announced that the barge had already caused an oil spill in the bay. Galveston Judge Mark Henry stated that the spill was heading into the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, which led to the US Coast Guard shutting it down.

The waterway's closure has become a major setback for maritime commercial traffic along the Texas coast, according to ABC-13. It has also affected the residents of Pelican Island, as the Pelican Island Causeway is the only way in and out of the island through land.

For now, Galveston officials are allowing drivers to pass the bridge one by one, with drivers being told to maintain a distance of 20 feet apart. Meanwhile, Harborside Drive is still open to east-west traffic, but the way north to Pelican Island from 51st and Harborside will remain closed, with police blocking off the area to create a detour.

Texas Bridge Collision Happened After Barge Lost Control Due To Strong Currents

Much like the Baltimore bridge collapse, this incident in Texas was caused by a ship losing control and crashing into the bridge due to the strong currents in the bay. There were actually two barges that lost control in the incident, but only one hit the bridge. That same barge also hit two telephone poles.

The incident happened around 9:50 AM on Wednesday morning as a tugboat backing out of Texas International Terminals lost control of the two barges it was pushing, according to Galveston County Navigation District bridge superintendent David Flores.

"The current was very bad, and the tide was high. He lost it," Flores told the Associated Press. Those two barges were filled with fuel, and crews are currently working to contain the oil spill.

One man was reportedly knocked off the vessel but was quickly recovered.

Crew of Ship That Caused Baltimore Bridge Collapse Still Trapped

The Dali, the ship that collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, meanwhile, had pieces of the bridge lodged into it removed via a controlled explosion. However, that same debris had already trapped the Dali's crew inside the ship for seven weeks.

According to the BBC, 21 men are still trapped aboard and cut off from the rest of the world. It is still unclear when they will be able to leave as crews continue to remove the rubble from the bridge off the Dali.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Raw video: Pelican Island Causeway closed in both directions due to barge hitting the bridge - KHOU 11