Loose barges close Mississippi River near St. Louis

The U.S. Coast Guard has closed a section of the Mississippi River in the St. Louis area after 116 barges broke loose.

The Coast Guard says the barges broke loose early Saturday north of the J.B. Bridge. There were no reports of injuries or major damage. The barges were rounded up with hours, but an 11-mile section of the river remained closed to traffic at mid-afternoon.

The Coast Guard was uncertain when the section of river would reopen.

It’s unclear why the barges broke loose from their moorings.

This story was originally published May 30, 2015 at 3:51 PM with the headline "Loose barges close Mississippi River near St. Louis."