NATCHEZ &8212; State bridge inspectors were on the way to Natchez Saturday night after a barge reportedly struck the Mississippi River bridge around 8.

Authorities said they believed &8212; but weren&8217;t completely sure yet &8212; that an eight-tow barge struck one of the piers on the westbound bridge.

Preliminary inspections determined that the bridge was safe for traffic, and it had not been closed as of 11 p.m.

Local, state and federal authorities responded on both sides of the river and the Mississippi Department of Transportation posted men on both sides throughout the night.

&8220;Initially it was reported that two barges were in tow and one had supposedly sank,&8221; Adams County Civil Defense Director George Souderes said. &8220;The pilot of a tug said one of the barges was taking on water.&8221;

The first concern was that the barge had sunk under the bridge and people might be hurt or missing, Souderes said.

But later reports &8212; still unconfirmed &8212; said no barges had sunk, and the eight-tow barge continued downstream until it marooned on the Vidalia side of the river near Bunge Corp. grain elevator. No one was injured.

Souderes said he had not see the barges or the tow, but the bridge appeared to be fine.

&8220;(MDOT) on the scene, they couldn&8217;t see any particular thing out of alignment on top of the bridge where the cars travel,&8221; he said.

Just after the reports started coming in a locally docked tug went out on the river searching for any signs of trouble. Another barge also passed shortly after without incident.

&8220;I don&8217;t know what&8217;s going to happen from here,&8221; Souderes said. &8220;That bridge has been hit numerous times and very hard, and after inspections, everything was fine.&8221;

The Natchez Police, Adams County Sheriff&8217;s, Concordia Parish Sheriff&8217;s, Vidalia Police, Vidalia Fire and Natchez Fire departments responded on both sides of the river. Louisiana State Police were also on the scene, and the U.S. Coast Guard was expected by the early morning hours. MDOT has jurisdiction over the bridges.

The barges were from Pine Bluff Sand and Gravel of Pine Bluff, Ark.