Barge stuck on dam in Beaver Falls, prompting bridge closures

Two barges and a vessel broke lose on the Beaver River on Thursday, with one of them getting stuck on a dam, prompting the temporary closure of two bridges.

A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission said the barges broke free from the Beaver River project early Thursday morning, where crews are replacing the entire bridge. One of the barges got stuck on the Eastvale dam while the other floated next to it. The vessel was missing but has since been contained.

Now officials are worried that the barge that isn't sitting on the dam will break free. Beaver County Emergency Services Director Eric Brewer said they're monitoring the situation. 

"Luckily, they're not loaded, so they're telling me that's that's a good sign, so it's not as much weight, but they're just making sure that they're still structurally safe, the bridges," Brewer said. 

The City of Beaver Falls Police Department posted a warning on Facebook shortly before noon saying the Beaver Falls/Eastvale Bridge and the Beaver Falls/New Brighton Bridge were closed. They've both since reopened. 

"If they don't contain the barges, then they're obviously going to close the bridges to make sure that they're safe," Brewer said. 

PennDOT said a bridge was struck earlier but there was no damage. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission says contractors are waiting until the water levels lower a bit to recover the barges.