No air quality concerns detected after Texas barge collision

BAYPORT, Texas – Officials say air monitoring hasn’t raised health concerns as the cleanup continues following a collision at a busy commercial waterway near Houston involving four vessels that caused a toxic gasoline product to leak into the water.

Authorities said at a Sunday news conference 2,700 air samples were tested and none have exceeded levels to cause concern.

Residents around the accident site have reported a gasoline smell. Officials say the spilled product can be hazardous.

Friday’s accident near Bayport, Texas, between a tanker that punctured storage tanks on a tugboat pushing two barges along the Houston Ship Channel released 9,000 barrels of a gasoline blend stock.

Crews are working to remove the gasoline product from the barges.

The ship channel remains partially closed.

The cause of the collision is being investigated.