An oil barge traveling down the Mississippi River hit a railroad bridge and spilled oil into the Big Muddy. Investigators are still working to determine what the exact location of the Vicksburg area spill. The oil barge was reportedly carrying about 80,000 gallons crude.
Sheen from the Mississippi River oil spill was spotted three miles away from the barge crash site, the Washington Times reports. Another barge was also reportedly damaged during the accident. Environmental Services officials are working to contain the oil spill and close part of the muddy waterway.
Coast Guard representative Lt. Ryan Gomez has this to say about the Mississippi River barge crash:
“Investigators are still trying to find out what happened and how much oil had spilled.”
No one was injured during the Sunday barge accident. The Mississippi River is closed from mile marker 425 to 441, CNN reports. The river reportedly moves approximately 890,000 cubic feet of water per second, according to US Geological Survey figures. If the Mississippi barge poured all of its oil load into the waterway, that would amount to approximately a 11,000 cubic feet spill.
The smell of the spilled oil is wafting across the area, according to the Vicksburg Post . After the crashing barge was damaged, it drifted down stream until it was pinned against the Mississippi River bank by at least two towboats, the Vicksburg Daily News notes.
The barge oil spill is located on the Louisiana side of the river. Folks along the Riverwalk and patrons of the Lady Luck Casino can easily view the Mississippi River oil spill.
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