Pittsburgh's Public Safety Office said 26 barges broke loose and were floating uncontrolled down the Ohio River late Friday night. Marinas, dams and at least one bridge have been hit since then as officials work to secure the unmanned barges. One barge is still unaccounted for as of Sunday. Most of the barges were loaded with dry cargo, like coal, and three of the barges were empty. There have been no reports of injuries, but Peggy's Harbor marina on the city's North Side sustained "extensive damage," officials said.According to our partners at the Trib, another marina just downriver of Peggy’s, Branchport Boat Club, lost nearly 90 boat slips because of the runaway barges. Eleven barges were pinned against the river bank near Brunot Island. Fourteen more continued down the river. Images posted online show several barges resting along the side of the dam.On Saturday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District said tugboats have secured the 11 barges at Brunot Island. Nine of the barges stopped at Emsworth Lock and Dam. Four barges continued past the dam, going over the Dashields Locks and Dams in Moon before being retrieved by tugboat as well.Carol Vernon, a representative for the Army Corps of Engineers, told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that one of the barges sank."The navigation channel will reopen as soon as it can be done safely," the Pittsburgh office said on Facebook.A barge hit the Sewickley Bridge Saturday afternoon, closing it as crews inspect for any damage, according to PennDOT spokesperson Steve Cowan. Moon Township police have since said the bridge has reopened.Officials with Campbell Transportation, which owns the barges, said the company is investigating how the barges broke free.“The incident occurred under high water conditions on the rivers, resulting in strong currents due to flooding in the area,” Gary Statler, Campbell Transportation's senior vice president for river operations, said in a statement. He added that the company’s “immediate priority is ensuring public safety and minimizing any potential environmental impact.”Statler said Campbell Transportation was actively working with the Coast Guard, state police, PennDOT and local agencies to assess the situation. The Army Corps of Engineers is the lead agency for the response. Discussing the damage from the barges, Branchport Boat Club manager Tony Ravida told the Trib, “It is like losing a member of the family. Now, we won’t be able to open for business this year.”Preliminary indication shows no damage was sustained at the Emsworth Lock and Dam, but that’s not the case after some of the barges caused damage to two local marinas."Hopefully, once they get rebuilt, I’ll come back, but for the time being, I'm not sure what we’ll do," said Liam Storey. He says he’s been boating at Peggy’s for years, dating back to when his grandparents owned a boat and docked it there. He said his heart breaks for the family business."Because they’re very nice people, family-oriented, family-owned marina down here, they’re always willing to help out with anything, any people's boats that have problems on the river," Storey said.Folks were surveying the damage left behind by the barges, down at the marinas and out at the Locks and Dam facilities."I couldn’t believe that it was you know hung up on the dam like that there I was surprised that the way of the water brought it over. I seen it on Facebook that the barge was stuck on the dam so I figured I was eating dinner up the road, I figured I‘d come down and take a look," said Coraopolis native Jason Crooks.Crooks says he’s glad the Sewickley Bridge did not sustain damage or shutdown because that would have been catastrophic to the area.For now, the search for the last barge continues, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4, the recovery team cannot safely search for the barge as long as the Ohio River remains elevated. However, the team does believe the barge is located between the Emsworth and Dashields Locks and Dams.Both the West End and McKees Rocks bridges had closed Friday night due to the loose barges but reopened shortly afterward. This incident follows Thursday’s and Friday’s storms that saw floodwaters return to the Pittsburgh region. Combined with last week’s heavy rain, this is Pittsburgh's wettest start to spring on record, according to the National Weather Service. This is not the first time barges have flown down Pittsburgh’s rivers uncontrolled, though the potential risks to bridge security and river transportation have come under increased scrutiny following the deadly collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge last month.
PITTSBURGH —
Pittsburgh's Public Safety Office said 26 barges broke loose and were floating uncontrolled down the Ohio River late Friday night. Marinas, dams and at least one bridge have been hit since then as officials work to secure the unmanned barges. One barge is still unaccounted for as of Sunday.
Most of the barges were loaded with dry cargo, like coal, and three of the barges were empty. There have been no reports of injuries, but Peggy's Harbor marina on the city's North Side sustained "extensive damage," officials said.
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According to our partners at the Trib, another marina just downriver of Peggy’s, Branchport Boat Club, lost nearly 90 boat slips because of the runaway barges.
Eleven barges were pinned against the river bank near Brunot Island. Fourteen more continued down the river. Images posted online show several barges resting along the side of the dam.
On Saturday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District said tugboats have secured the 11 barges at Brunot Island. Nine of the barges stopped at Emsworth Lock and Dam. Four barges continued past the dam, going over the Dashields Locks and Dams in Moon before being retrieved by tugboat as well.
Carol Vernon, a representative for the Army Corps of Engineers, told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that one of the barges sank.
"The navigation channel will reopen as soon as it can be done safely," the Pittsburgh office said on Facebook.
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A barge hit the Sewickley Bridge Saturday afternoon, closing it as crews inspect for any damage, according to PennDOT spokesperson Steve Cowan. Moon Township police have since said the bridge has reopened.
Officials with Campbell Transportation, which owns the barges, said the company is investigating how the barges broke free.
“The incident occurred under high water conditions on the rivers, resulting in strong currents due to flooding in the area,” Gary Statler, Campbell Transportation's senior vice president for river operations, said in a statement. He added that the company’s “immediate priority is ensuring public safety and minimizing any potential environmental impact.”
Statler said Campbell Transportation was actively working with the Coast Guard, state police, PennDOT and local agencies to assess the situation. The Army Corps of Engineers is the lead agency for the response.
Discussing the damage from the barges, Branchport Boat Club manager Tony Ravida told the Trib, “It is like losing a member of the family. Now, we won’t be able to open for business this year.”
Preliminary indication shows no damage was sustained at the Emsworth Lock and Dam, but that’s not the case after some of the barges caused damage to two local marinas.
"Hopefully, once they get rebuilt, I’ll come back, but for the time being, I'm not sure what we’ll do," said Liam Storey. He says he’s been boating at Peggy’s for years, dating back to when his grandparents owned a boat and docked it there. He said his heart breaks for the family business.
"Because they’re very nice people, family-oriented, family-owned marina down here, they’re always willing to help out with anything, any people's boats that have problems on the river," Storey said.
Folks were surveying the damage left behind by the barges, down at the marinas and out at the Locks and Dam facilities.
"I couldn’t believe that it was you know hung up on the dam like that there I was surprised that the way of the water brought it over. I seen it on Facebook that the barge was stuck on the dam so I figured I was eating dinner up the road, I figured I‘d come down and take a look," said Coraopolis native Jason Crooks.
Crooks says he’s glad the Sewickley Bridge did not sustain damage or shutdown because that would have been catastrophic to the area.
For now, the search for the last barge continues, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4, the recovery team cannot safely search for the barge as long as the Ohio River remains elevated. However, the team does believe the barge is located between the Emsworth and Dashields Locks and Dams.
Both the West End and McKees Rocks bridges had closed Friday night due to the loose barges but reopened shortly afterward.
This incident follows Thursday’s and Friday’s storms that saw floodwaters return to the Pittsburgh region. Combined with last week’s heavy rain, this is Pittsburgh's wettest start to spring on record, according to the National Weather Service.
This content is imported from Facebook.You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
This is not the first time barges have flown down Pittsburgh’s rivers uncontrolled, though the potential risks to bridge security and river transportation have come under increased scrutiny following the deadly collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge last month.
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