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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Brooks bridge investigation continues
OKALOOSA COUNTY -- The Brooks Bridge is open.
And emergency repairs have been made to get water flowing back to Okaloosa Island.
A barge and crane rammed the bridge yesterday afternoon.
It broke a water main line and damaged the guardrail.
The Coast Guard is leading this investigation, and they're still enforcing some boating restrictions at the scene. Boats aren't allowed within a half-mile on either side of the bridge.
As for finding answers about the crash, that could take a while.
Barges moving through Santa Rosa Sound are a common sight but not like this.
Chrissy Hartley/Witness "The whole top of it just started hitting, and it kept going and going, hit it, started breaking, stuff started falling off, the bottom of the barge started coming up."
The crane on the first of four barges being pushed by the tug Miss Lizzy smashed a guardrail and severed the water supply to Okaloosa Island.
Sabrina Mailhes/FWB "They know that bridge is there, it's been there for many years, and they know the specifics of the bridge, they know all parameters of the bridge...."
Before coming to it's unfortunate stop here, the barge made it under the Navarre Bridge.
That bridge has the same charted 50 foot clearance as the Brooks Bridge.
Terry Ramsey/Southern Vacation Rentals "I feel bad for the guy that was the driver of the tugboat or the captain or whoever....but it's a pretty big mistake"
It's standard procedure for the captain to be tested for drugs and alcohol.
The Coast Guard records all radio communications, including the driver's call saying he'd hit the bridge.
Sabrina "I still wonder about the strength of the bridge, even though both lanes are open"
The bridge was inspected and deemed structurally sound by the Florida Department of Transportation.
It was last inspected in October of 2011, and is not on the state's list for replacement.
Coast Guard investigators were out here until 1 am and back today.
County water crews worked straight through the night to restore the water supply to Okaloosa Island.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Brooks bridge investigation continues
OKALOOSA COUNTY -- The Brooks Bridge is open.
And emergency repairs have been made to get water flowing back to Okaloosa Island.
A barge and crane rammed the bridge yesterday afternoon.
It broke a water main line and damaged the guardrail.
The Coast Guard is leading this investigation, and they're still enforcing some boating restrictions at the scene. Boats aren't allowed within a half-mile on either side of the bridge.
As for finding answers about the crash, that could take a while.
Barges moving through Santa Rosa Sound are a common sight but not like this.
Chrissy Hartley/Witness "The whole top of it just started hitting, and it kept going and going, hit it, started breaking, stuff started falling off, the bottom of the barge started coming up."
The crane on the first of four barges being pushed by the tug Miss Lizzy smashed a guardrail and severed the water supply to Okaloosa Island.
Sabrina Mailhes/FWB "They know that bridge is there, it's been there for many years, and they know the specifics of the bridge, they know all parameters of the bridge...."
Before coming to it's unfortunate stop here, the barge made it under the Navarre Bridge.
That bridge has the same charted 50 foot clearance as the Brooks Bridge.
Terry Ramsey/Southern Vacation Rentals "I feel bad for the guy that was the driver of the tugboat or the captain or whoever....but it's a pretty big mistake"
It's standard procedure for the captain to be tested for drugs and alcohol.
The Coast Guard records all radio communications, including the driver's call saying he'd hit the bridge.
Sabrina "I still wonder about the strength of the bridge, even though both lanes are open"
The bridge was inspected and deemed structurally sound by the Florida Department of Transportation.
It was last inspected in October of 2011, and is not on the state's list for replacement.
Coast Guard investigators were out here until 1 am and back today.
County water crews worked straight through the night to restore the water supply to Okaloosa Island.
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