May 15th 2024.
On Wednesday morning, a barge collided into the Pelican Island Bridge located in Texas, causing a major oil spill in a nearby bay along the Gulf Coast. According to the city government of Galveston, the collision occurred around 10am and resulted in temporary traffic stoppage on the Pelican Island Causeway. In a statement posted on Facebook, the city informed the public that both vehicle and vessel traffic in the area had been halted due to the incident.
Pelican Island, known for being home to Texas A&M Galveston, experienced a temporary power outage and was forced to rely on secondary power sources. The city also reported that there was visible evidence of vacuum gas oil from the barge in the water. The barge, which is owned by Martin Petroleum, was estimated to have leaked about 30,000 gallons of oil, causing a 6.5 mile closure of a section of the Intracoastal Waterway.
The city further stated that the US Coast Guard was taking charge of the situation and would assess the extent of the spill as well as initiate containment and cleanup efforts. This unfortunate collision comes less than two months after a cargo ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing a dramatic collapse of the entire span into the water. The cause of the barge accident is currently under investigation and the city has promised to provide updates as they become available.
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