The Coast Guard were alerted at 2:00 a.m. about the oil spill in the Mississippi River caused by two barges that hit a railroad bridge in Vicksburg. According to reports by USA Today on Sunday, Jan. 27 the Coast Guard said that the river has been closed for eight miles in each direction.
The barges hit the railroad bridge at about 1:12 a.m. central time. Lt. Ryan Gomez stated that sheen was reported as far as three miles downriver of Vicksburg. Booms have been set around the barges in an effort to absorb and contain the oil.
It is unclear to Lt. Ryan Gomez as to how the oil was leaked and exactly how much each of the barges contained. His belief is that one barge may have been damaged by the other barge.
He identifies the tugboat pushing both barges as the Nature's Way Endeavor. Petty Officer Carlos Vega says that the bridge has been deemed safe for trains and that federal, state and local authorities were heading there to assess damage.
The Vicksburg railroad bridge is less than 400 feet from the Interstate 20 bridge located over the Mississippi River.
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