Boat strike causes oil spill, partial collapse of bridge between Galveston and Pelican Island, Texas

By LEKAN OYEKANMI and JUAN LOZANO
Associated Press

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) — Officials say a barge has hit a bridge in Galveston, Texas, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road connecting the city to Pelican Island. There have been no reports of injuries, although officials say one person on the barge was knocked into the water and quickly rescued. David Flores, a bridge superintendent with the Galveston County Navigation District, says the accident happened at 9:50 a.m. Wednesday, when a tugboat backing out of a fuel storage operator next to the bridge lost control of two barges. Flores says one of the barges struck a bridge pillar and two telephone poles.