| Marine Safety Unit Chicago U.S. Coast Guard |
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| Press Release |
Date: November 13, 2006 Contact: Public Affairs |
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Freight Barge Allides With The E. Columbus Drive Bridge East Chicago - Over the weekend, an empty freight barge broke away from its mooring at Metal Management, Inc. at The structure of the bridge was inspected and found not to be damaged. Several oil and gas pipelines are located adjacent and attached to the bridge. The respective owners of the pipelines have taken necessary precautions and are in the process of purging the pipelines to ensure no accidental discharge into the canal. One pipeline has already been purged and the others are expected to be completed by early Tuesday morning. By purging the pipelines, the company has significantly reduced the possibility of environmental pollution. At this point, there are no reports of leaking or pollution in the canal and the pipelines appear to be undamaged. Also, a containment boom has been pre-staged on scene to isolate a spill in the unlikely event of a pipeline release. The owner of the barge is planning the removal of the barge from the area and this process should be completed no later than Wednesday of this week. Weather has proven to be a large factor in the removal of the barge because at the current time, water levels are significantly lower than normal. The weather service is forecasting northerly winds that will help push water back into the canal and therefore facilitate the removal process. There should be no concern or alarm for the general public at this time. A great team effort from all authorities and private industry ensured all necessary measures were taken to prevent the situation from escalating. For further questions and inquiries, please contact the Marine Safety Unit Chicago Public Affairs Officer at (630) 986-2136. ###
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