(Houston television station KPRC posted the following article on its website on February 20.)
HOUSTON — San Jacinto County officials struggled to keep a shifting freight train from falling into the Trinity River after the bridge it sat on collapsed late Thursday night, News2Houston reported.
San Jacinto Railroad Bridge Over Trinity River
The bridge, located over the Trinity River, which parallels Highway 59, crumbled Thursday night.
No injuries were reported, according to officials.
The collapse caused one of the concrete columns holding the bridge up to tilt; however, a Union Pacific train remained sitting on the bridge.
News2Houston reported one of the railcars was spilling some type of material into the river. Officials have not said if that material was hazardous.
Around 3 a.m., the trains shifted on the bridge, officials said.
Several county fire and sheriff’s departments worked through the night to alleviate the weight on the bridge by removing some of the railcars.