Many details of the accident are still unknown; however an oil leak has been reported.

In Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday, an incident occurred involving a barge colliding with a bridge, resulting in an oil spill into the nearby waters and the closure of the sole access road to Pelican Island, local officials confirmed.

Ronnie Varela from the Galveston’s Office of Emergency Management reported that the bridge connecting to Pelican Island, situated north of Galveston, was struck by a barge at approximately 9:30 a.m. Details regarding the extent of damage to the bridge and any potential injuries were not immediately available. Aerial footage displayed sections of a disused rail line atop the barge, indicating the impact’s force.

According to Varela, the collision triggered an oil spill, prompting ongoing efforts by cleanup crews to address the environmental impact. The Galveston County Sheriff’s Office informed KTRK that a significant portion of the bridge structure had collapsed, with images aired by KTRK showing fragments of concrete on the barge.

In response to the incident, Texas A&M University at Galveston released an online statement confirming the closure of the Pelican Island Bridge to all traffic, citing the barge collision as the cause. They noted that electricity supply has been reinstated and assured that further updates would be provided as the situation unfolds.