Coast Guard Responds to Barge Fire
According to reports, A cargo van whose contents caught fire on a barge was still billowing smoke as the vessel was being towed to Juneau from Frederick Sound. Officials said the fire broke out in the van, which was full of solid waste being shipped on an Alaska Marine Lines barge from Sitka to the disposal site in Washington state. A firefighting tug from Petersburg and a Coast Guard cutter hosed the blaze through the night. The firefighting tug continued to spray water on the fire Tuesday morning alongside the loaded barge, the Daily Sitka Sentinel. Coast Guard Lt. Mara Booth-Miller said the AML tug and barge were diverted to Juneau. Nine containers of the 94 aboard the barge Baranof Provider caught fire while under tow by the AML tug Western Mariner, she said.
Coast Guard Continues Spill Investigation
Investigators from the Coast Guard marine safety office here are continuing to look into what caused a Holland America cruise ship to spill partially treated wastewater into Gastineau Channel here August 17. The Juneau Harbormaster contacted the Coast Guard around 8 p.m. August 17 reporting that a brownish color substance discharged form the Ryndam. Coast Guard MSO Juneau investigators responded to the scene immediately and took samples of the discharge flowing from the Ryndam. Preliminary findings suggest that roughly 40,000 gallons of wastewater from sinks, showers and the sewage system transferring into the number six portside double bottom holding tank exceeded capacity, and subsequently discharged out a vent and into Alaska waters.
