May 16th 2024.
In Galveston, Texas, a concerning incident took place on Wednesday when a barge carrying fuel broke free from a tugboat and collided with a bridge near the city. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, initial estimates suggest that around 2,000 gallons of oil may have spilled into the surrounding waters as a result of the crash.
The impact of the barge on the Pelican Island Causeway span caused part of the bridge to collapse, effectively cutting off the only road connecting Galveston to Pelican Island. Video footage showed that oil had leaked from the barge into Galveston Bay. However, during a press conference on Thursday, the Texas General Land Office reported that their early cleanup efforts had not identified any affected wildlife.
The barge had a maximum capacity of 30,000 barrels, but at the time of the collision, it was carrying 23,000 barrels, which is equivalent to approximately 966,000 gallons. Rick Freed, the vice president of the barge operator Martin Marine, stated that the only tank that was damaged in the crash was holding about 160,000 gallons, which was the "complete risk." This update provided some relief as Coast Guard Capt. Keith Donohue stated that they were confident that the amount of oil that entered the water was less than their initial estimate.
Donohue went on to say that they had already recovered over 605 gallons of an oily water mixture from the environment and an additional 5,640 gallons of oil product from the top of the barge, which did not spill into the water. The Coast Guard also revealed that they had deployed a boom, a barrier to contain the spill, which resulted in a closure of 6.5 miles of the waterway.
The incident occurred when a tugboat lost control of the 321-foot barge due to a break in the coupling that connected the two vessels, according to the Coast Guard. Martin Marine's Freed clarified that weather was not a factor in the incident. However, when asked for more details on how the two vessels became disconnected, he stated that it was still under investigation.
As of Thursday, the barge remained next to the bridge, held in place by debris such as fallen rail lines. The bridge, which is the only road access between Galveston and Pelican Island, was closed to incoming traffic. However, vehicles leaving Pelican Island and pedestrians could still cross in both directions.
The incident caused some disruption for the Texas A&M University Galveston campus, which is located on Pelican Island. The university urged staff and faculty to leave and closed the campus, although essential personnel would remain. They also announced that they would be relocating all Texas A&M Pelican Island residents until at least Sunday.
According to spokesperson Shantelle Patterson-Swanson, fewer than 200 people related to the school were on the island when the barge hit the bridge. The university stated that they would cover the transportation and housing costs for those who chose to leave, but it was not a mandatory evacuation.
Aside from the environmental impact of the oil spill, experts believe that the region will not experience significant economic disruption as a result of the accident. Maria Burns, a maritime transportation expert at the University of Houston, stated that the affected area was far from the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and the Houston Ship Channel, where barge traffic and ocean-going vessels are common.
This incident came just a few weeks after a cargo ship crashed into a support column of the Francis Key Bridge in Baltimore, resulting in the tragic death of six construction workers. Reporting from McAllen, Texas was done by Gonzalez.
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