Tug, barge strike bridge at Beverly, Mass.

(BOSTON) — The Coast Guard, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company responded after a tug and barge struck a railroad bridge in Beverly, MA., early this morning.

The 35-foot tug Edna, owned by Jay Cashman Inc., with barge Weeks #70, was transporting dredge material outbound on the Danvers River to Beverly Harbor when the barge struck the Beverly Railroad Bridge at approximately 4:45 a.m.

Both the barge and bridge sustained minimal damage. No injuries were reported. The MBTA and MBCR are working to repair damages to the bridge.

Two crewmembers from Coast Guard Station Gloucester worked with the Beverly harbor master to assess damage to the barge, which was minimal. Investigators from Coast Guard Sector Boston also responded to determine the cause of the accident. The investigation is on going.

Lt. j.g. Chris Herold, a Command Duty Officer at Sector Boston stated, “Public safety is our primary concern. We are working to ensure the bridge and waterway is safe to use again. We are also investigating how this accident occurred in our ongoing efforts to keep our waterways as safe as we can.”

The waterway will be closed for commercial vessels until approximately 8 a.m. Saturday, December 22nd. Other waterway closures may be necessary as repairs are evaluated. For updates regarding the commuter rail, go to mbta.com or call Joe Pesaturo at 617-222-5697.