Collision between barges puts oil in river, slows traffic

Investigators are trying to figure out what led two barges to collide on the Mississippi River Friday morning around 2 a.m. near mile marker 139 in St. John the Baptist Parish. The collision caused oil from a tank barge to spill into the river and ships have been operating under restricted movement in the area since. Crews have placed containment boom around a tank barge in the Mississippi River. A large 10-foot by five-foot gaping hole was apparent, marking where oil spilled. “The got a hole big enough in the barge to put a car in it,” said Willie Robert, a witness.