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• Coast Guard: Spark from cleaning caused explosion

  April 25, 2013 11:43 AM

  MOBILE, Ala. - A crew that was cleaning fuel barges in Mobile Bay likely caused a spark the triggered an explosion and critically burned three workers. The explosion happened Wednesday night and it was extinguished Thursday morning. Coast Guard Lt. Mike Clausen says the investigation is continuing, but the spark... more »

• Fuel barges explode, causing large fire in Ala.

  April 25, 2013 7:15 AM

  MOBILE, Ala. - A large fire that began with explosions aboard two fuel barges in Mobile, Ala., is finally out, after burning through the night. U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Carlos Vega said shortly before dawn Thursday that the cause of the fire is under investigation. Firefighters from Mobile... more »

• Miss. River still closed after barges hit bridge

  April 22, 2013 9:10 AM

  VICKSBURG, Miss.- The Mississippi River remains closed at Vicksburg as authorities work to determine whether a sunken barge was a navigation hazard. Coast Guard Lt. Ryan Gomez says an assessment is underway but it is uncertain when the river will reopen to ship traffic. Gomez says 233 barges are waiting... more »

• Coast Guard: emergency ends where tug hit pipeline

  March 19, 2013 4:31 PM

  LAFITTE- An emergency situation near the Gulf of Mexico has ended, according to the Coast Guard. Last Tuesday, a tugboat and barge collided with a pipeline causing an explosion and a fire that burned for days. The four crew onboard the tug escaped, but the captain sustained second... more »

• Barge separated from tug wreckage in La. bayou

  March 15, 2013 11:31 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard says a salvage company has separated a barge carrying tens of thousands of gallons of oil from the wreckage of a tugboat that struck a gas pipeline in a coastal Louisiana bayou, triggering a massive fire. Workers were monitoring the barge Friday to prepare... more »

• Oil sheen spotted after barge collision on Miss. River

  February 15, 2013 10:48 AM

  BATON ROUGE- The Coast Guard says a collision between two barges spilled less than 400 gallons of oil into the Mississippi River at the Port of Greater Baton Rouge. No injuries were reported after one of the barges struck another that was offloading fuel at a transfer station Thursday night.... more »

• Oil cleanup resuming at leaking Miss. River barge

  January 31, 2013 2:49 AM

  JACKSON, Miss. - Vessels are moving cautiously through a section of the Mississippi River where a barge is leaking oil as the Coast Guard tries to ease the economic impact of shutting down one of the nation's vital commerce routes. Chief Petty Officer Paul Roszkowski says officials are allowing northbound... more »

• Barges testing closed section of Miss. River

  January 30, 2013 11:08 AM

  JACKSON, Miss.- The Coast Guard is letting southbound vessels pass through a closed section of the Mississippi River at Vicksburg to test how they will affect efforts to remove oil from a leaking barge. Chief Petty Officer Paul Roszkowski tells The Associated Press a 16-mile stretch of the river remains... more »

• Coast Guard: Barge leaked 7,000 gallons of oil

  January 30, 2013 7:03 AM

  VICKSBURG, Miss. - With more than 50 vessels idling on the water for a fourth day, authorities say they still don't know when they will be able to reopen a stretch of the Mississippi River that has been closed due to an oil spill near Vicksburg. Coast Guard Petty Officer... more »

• Miss. River remains closed after barge accident

  January 29, 2013 6:14 AM

  VICKSBURG, Miss. - The Coast Guard says nearly four dozen vessels are stacked up on the Mississippi River near Vicksburg, awaiting clearance as crews work around the clock to clean up an oil spill. Coast Guard spokesman Jonathan Lally told The Associated Press early Tuesday workers are skimming oily water... more »

• Barge hits Miss. River bridge: Oil cleanup ongoing

  January 28, 2013 8:49 AM

  JACKSON, Miss.- The Coast Guard says a normally bustling stretch of the Mississippi River remains closed to barge and ship traffic as cleanup crews with booms work to remove an oily sheen near Vicksburg after a barge with 80,000 gallons of oil hit a railroad bridge last weekend. Coast Guard... more »

• Corps: Ridding Miss. River of rock pinnacles close

  December 14, 2012 6:32 PM

  ST. LOUIS - The Army Corps of Engineers says it's close to shoring up how soon contractors could begin removing treacherous southern Illinois rock formations impeding barge traffic in the drought-plagued Mississippi River. The corps says it has hired Newt Marine Service of Dubuque, Iowa, and Kokosing Construction Co. of... more »

• Chalmette ferry closed after hitting barge

  October 26, 2012 2:30 PM

  NEW ORLEANS- The Chalmette Ferry has been taken out of service after it collided with a barge, causing minor damage to both vessels. The accident happened around 10 a.m. Friday. According to the Coast Guard, three crew members and two passengers on the ferry complained of minor injuries,... more »

• Barges moving slowly through Miss. trouble spot

  August 23, 2012 10:21 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Shipping is being allowed to move slowly through a stretch of the Mississippi River near Greenville, Miss., that has been a trouble spot as low water caused by drought exposes sand and mud bars. Coast Guard Petty Officer Ryan Tippets said on Thursday barges are being allowed... more »

• Midwest drought and low Mississippi River to increase food prices Play Video

  August 13, 2012 5:42 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The cost to do business for farmers could trickle down to the consumer as early as the end of this year. Drought conditions in the Midwest and transportations issues on the Mississippi River are making it difficult to grow and ship product. The Mississippi River... more »

• Coast Guard: Tank barge emptied, moved after wreck

  February 21, 2012 7:51 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard says a tank barge involved in a collision on the Mississippi River has been emptied and moved to a repair facility in Westwego. The Coast Guard estimates that less than 10,000 gallons of oil spilled into the river after the barge pushed by the... more »

• OSHA cites La. company over worker's death

  August 24, 2011 3:36 AM

  NEW IBERIA- The U.S. Labor Department has cited New Iberia-based Estis Well Service LLC for alleged safety violations stemming from the death of a worker near Bayou Sorrel. The department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced Tuesday that it has proposed more than $132,000 in penalties following its probe of... more »

• Part of Mississippi River closed after barge sinks

  August 4, 2011 2:52 PM

  TRANSYLVANIA, La. - The Coast Guard says a section of the Mississippi River in north Louisiana has been closed after 35 barges pushed by a towboat broke free and a coal barge sank in the river channel. The towing vessel Sally Bromfield lost its barges at about 1:30 a.m.... more »

• Bridge expected to be OK for cars this weekend

  June 2, 2011 5:47 AM

  JEAN LAFITTE- Jefferson Parish officials say the state transportation department expects to reopen a bridge at the town of Jean Lafitte to vehicles this weekend - though it will remain closed to marine traffic. In the meantime, there will be regular ferry service during the day, and a single ferry... more »

• Coast Guard reviewing salvage plans for sunken barges

  May 23, 2011 2:27 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Coast Guard said today that they reopened a portion of the Mississippi River near Baton Rogue to northbound traffic, after determining three barges that sank last week don't pose a threat to those vessels. A nine-mile stretch of the river was closed Friday when several... more »

• Coast Guard may reopen river to barge traffic

  May 23, 2011 9:18 AM

  BATON ROUGE- The Coast Guard may partially reopen a nine-mile segment of the Mississippi River to barge traffic as it reviews a plan to remove three barges that sank in the waterway in Baton Rouge last week. Petty Officer Stephen Lehmann said the Coast Guard expects to allow northbound traffic... more »

• Four barges break loose on Atchafalaya River

  May 23, 2011 9:14 AM

  SIMMESPORT- The Simmesport Bridge, which is located on LA-1, has reopened after four barges broke loose on the Atchafalaya River. Major Steven Martel with the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff's Office says the barges broke loose from their moorings before 8 a.m. and hit a railroad bridge. Martel says they haven't... more »

• Stretch of river remains closed after barges sink

  May 23, 2011 3:40 AM

  BATON ROUGE- A nine-mile stretch of the Mississippi River remains closed while the Coast Guard settles on a plan to remove three barges that sank in the waterway that is bulging with floodwaters from upriver. Roman Blahoski, a spokesman for the Archer Daniels Midland Co., says the company has... more »

• UPDATE: Barge resurfaces, Coast Guard "has a line on it"

  May 20, 2011 4:22 PM

  UPDATE- A barge resurfaced on the Mississippi just North of Downtown Baton Rouge and caused concern Friday night. At one point, authorities were considering an evacuation of the Hollywood Casino river boat. But, a spokesperson with the casino said late Friday, the Coast Guard had a "line on the... more »

• Four barges sunk to protect Morgan City from flooding

  May 16, 2011 3:39 PM

  AMELIA - Gov. Bobby Jindal watched this afternoon as workers sank a barge into the Atchafalaya River at Bayou Chene to help prevent back flooding in that area. Jindal was touring flood preparation measures around the Morgan City area, one of the bigger towns in the path of floodwaters... more »

• Barge takes on water after hitting Hwy 190 bridge

  May 14, 2011 1:43 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Old Misssissippi River Bridge is back open after a loose barge struck it earlier today. Inspectors and divers found no damage to the bridge after it was hit, according to Sheriff Mike Cazes from West Baton Rouge Parish. Cazes said four barges broke loose... more »

• Cameron Ship Channel reopened after pipeline rupture

  April 1, 2011 3:29 PM

  CAMERON, La. - The Calcasieu Ship Channel has been reopened following a rupture of a natural gas pipeline. The Coast Guard says a dredging barge reported the rupture late Wednesday, forcing the channel's closure. The channel was reopened late Thursday after sonar scans of the pipeline showed no problems... more »

• One dead after barge overturns in Bayou Sorrel

  March 9, 2011 5:27 PM

  IBERVILLE - At least one person is dead after a barge overturned in Bayou Sorrel around 4 p.m. this afternoon. The barge is identified as the work-over rig 'Estis Rig #23', based out of Morgan City. Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office says it does not know why it overturned... more »

• Judge: Barge did not cause Katrina flooding

  January 24, 2011 3:25 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge in New Orleans has ruled that a barge that landed on top of several homes in the Lower 9th Ward did not cause the floodwall to break during Hurricane Katrina. The Times Picayune reports that U.S. District Judge Stanwood Duval Jr. last Thursday... more »

• Parish president threatens arrest

  July 23, 2010 6:58 PM

  St. Tammany Parish President Kevin Davis threatened arrest Thursday night for anyone who moves boats or barges charged with protecting the Coast out of his parish. The Coast Guard began evacuating boats and barges from coastal parishes Thursday, to the dismay of Davis, who said he submitted plans two... more »

• Man designs skimming barge

  July 13, 2010 6:47 PM

  C.W. Parker works disaster relief regularly but has worked with barges for 50 years. Just over a month ago, he dreamed of the next barge he would be working on. He woke his wife and told her about the dream. "The next day when I walked into the house,... more »

• Eight-year-old on board when barge hit Wednesday

  July 9, 2010 10:40 PM

  An eight-year-old from Baton Rouge was visiting grandparents in Philadelphia and was on-board when the barge hit Wednesday. RJ Keen said he had one wild ride. He and his grandparents were pulled out of the Delaware River after surviving a barge crushing their duck boat. Keen said he remembers the... more »

• Hope fades for two missing from duck boat

  July 8, 2010 9:41 AM

  Coast Guard officials continue their search for two missing duck boat passengers, but say hope is fading for finding them. The two went missing after the boat they were riding in was struck and sunk by a barge in the Delaware River. Interviews with other passengers indicate the missing 16-year-old... more »

• DEQ: River traffic small part of ozone at Carville

  February 5, 2010 5:41 AM

  Louisiana's Department of Environmental Quality says a new study indicates that barge emissions may have triggered 5 percent of last year's high readings at a Carville pollution monitor. That monitor shows the highest ozone levels in a region that doesn't meet federal standards. High levels of compounds that contribute to... more »

• Iberville Parish braces for more flooding

  December 15, 2009 10:27 PM

  Bayou Sorrel in Iberville Parish could get more water even after the rain stops. Water is already filling up yards and creeping towards front doors. Some residents are already using boats to get out of their driveways. Barges could be stopped from traveling down the waterway if the... more »

• Oil spill in Houston Ship Channel

  September 28, 2009 6:38 AM

  The Coast Guard says crews are working to clean up a 10,500-gallon oil spill that has closed traffic along three miles of the Houston Ship Channel. The 458-foot tank vessel Chemical Supplier was trying to make a turn Friday night when it hit a barge, gashing one of its fuel... more »