US News

By Lauren Elkies Schram

More than two dozen barges broke loose in Pittsburgh, drifting in an “uncontrolled” method down the Ohio River, the City of Pittsburgh introduced.

At round 11:25 p.m. Friday, 26 barges broke free from a facility close to Peggy’s Harbor, a marina on the Ohio River’s northern financial institution, Eyobe Mills, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard, advised The Post.

Twenty-three of the vessels had been loaded with dry cargo reminiscent of coal, and three had been empty. There had been no accidents or air pollution reported, however Peggy’s Harbor noticed “extensive damage,” the town stated.

Eleven of the barges had been pinned towards the river financial institution close to Brunot Island. Fourteen drifted down the river and 6 traveled over the Emsworth Dam. There was no phrase if the barges that went over the dam brought about harm.

As a end result, bridge and rail visitors had been briefly shut down.

All however one of many vessels had been accounted for as of roughly 3 p.m. Saturday, Mills stated. Officials are attempting to find the lacking barge, he added, earlier than they proceed with an investigation.

“This is a dynamic situation so things are changing all the time,” Mills stated.

Campbell Transportation Company, a marine transportation and providers enterprise that owns the barges, didn’t reply to a request for remark. The firm advised KDKA in an announcement that it’s collaborating with authorities, however famous, “The incident occurred under high water conditions on the rivers resulting in strong currents due to flooding in the area.”