Coast Guard still investigating cause of barge crash into Smithfield Street Bridge
There are no long-term impacts after empty barges hit the Smithfield Street Bridge late Sunday night on the Monongahela River, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Investigators have yet to determine how many barges hit the bridge at about 11:20 p.m., Ensign William Russell said.
There were 15 empty barges being towed south on the river by a tugboat named the Debi Sharp, Russell said.
No one was hurt when the barges crashed into the bridge, which was closed from about midnight until 3 a.m. Monday. PennDOT inspectors allowed the bridge to reopen once it was inspected.
The Coast Guard is still investigating the incident, Russell said.
Tom Davidson is a TribLive news editor. He has been a journalist in Western Pennsylvania for more than 25 years. He can be reached at tdavidson@triblive.com.
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