GALVESTON, Texas (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard says officials don't believe any significant amount of a flammable petroleum product was spilled after barges collided near the entrance to the Houston Ship Channel.
The Coast Guard says the collision early Monday between two barges being pushed by one tugboat near the Bolivar Peninsula and two barges being pushed by another happened when one of the tugboats lost power. A fire that erupted on a barge carrying about 1 million gallons of naphtha was extinguished in about four hours. It's unknown if it was diesel fuel or naphtha burning.
Air monitoring so far shows no risk.
The waterway near the collision was fully reopened late Monday. Traffic along the Ship Channel itself was not impacted.
