Barge Strikes Galveston Bridge, Causes Oil Spill and Structural Damage

The Pelican Island Bridge connects Galveston Island to Pelican Island, home to Texas A&M Galveston, which temporarily lost power.

A tugboat works to maneuver a barge away from the Pelican Island Bridge in Galveston, Texas, after the barge crashed into the bridge, shutting down the only road access to and from the island, on May 15, 2024, . Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston County Daily News via AP

On Wednesday, a large barge struck a bridge in Galveston, Texas, spilling oil into the bay and damaging a portion of the bridge.

The bridge that leads to Pelican Island, just north of Galveston, was hit by a barge at approximately 10 a.m., according to the Galveston County Office of Emergency Management (OEM). No injuries have been reported.