This morning, a barge hit the MLK bridge, making national news. But, with all the bridges and barges on the riverfront, it certainly isn't the first time. Thankfully, this crash didn't cause any injuries or major damage. Here's a brief history of some of the other barge and bridge crashes on the St. Louis riverfront. Have any insight on these crashes, or know of one we missed? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
April 1998
A tow of the M/V Anne Holly, comprised of 12 full and two empty barges, struck the Eads Bridge. Three barges broke off the tow and struck the docked SS Admiral (home of its namesake casino), with 3,000 people inside at the time, and broke eight of its ten mooring lines. Attached to its dock by only two lines, the Admiral started to drift off when the Anne Holly hit its bow against the Admirals bow, holding the Admiral onto the bank and preventing it from capsizing. Fifty injuries were reported, and the crash caused $11 million worth of damage, but if the Admiral had not been held to its bank, it could have capsized, flooding the boat and trapping many more people inside.
April 1983
A tow barge carrying four single-hull tank barges full of crude oil collided with one of the piers of the Poplar Street Bridge. At least one of the two tanks of crude oil were ruptured by the impact. The oil leaked into the river, and the three barges not connected to the towboat broke from the line and flooded—one sank a mile down the river, the other collided with barges docked at the Monsanto Chemical Company barge facility, and the other collided with a Pillsbury company grain barge loading terminal. Both Monsanto and Pillsbury facilities sustained significant damage, the oil polluted about 10 miles of the river, and there was only one minor injury. Total damages amounted to $9 million.
