Coast Guard Closes Mississippi River After Barge Strikes Bridge

The Coast Guard closed a portion of the Mississippi River after a barge struck a rail road bridge Thursday near Vicksburg, Miss. The barge caught fire after it struck the Vicksburg Rail Road Bridge near the Interstate 20 bridge and drifted about 10 miles down river and became grounded in Diamond Cutoff, one mile south of Oak Bend at mile marker 424.3. The fire aboard the barge was contained by the crewmembers aboard the motor vessel John Roberts and personnel from U.S. Environmental Services. The Coast Guard has established a safety zone along the Mississippi River between mile markers 440, near Kings Point, Miss., and mile marker 409.5, near Middle Ground Island, Miss. Personnel from Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Greenville, Miss., and bridge inspectors are inspecting the rail road bridge for damage and pollution. Coast Guard personnel from MSD Greenville are investigating the cause of the accident.