Barge Fire Extinguished in the Gulf of Mexico
Emergency responders have extinguished a fire aboard a barge adrift approximately 2 miles west of Cat Island, Miss.
U.S. Coast Guard watchstanders received a report at approximately 1:20 p.m. Thursday that a barge being pushed by the tug vessel Kathryn T. Devall caught fire with a reported 2,500 tons of anhydrous ammonia and 800 gallons of diesel fuel.
The Gulfport Fire Department has extinguished the fire after the tug crew was unable to put out the blaze and released the barge from the tug.
No injuries have been reported.
A 100-foot sheen has been reported as the barge drifts in an eastern direction and is approximately 4.5 miles south of Pass Christian, Miss.
The Coast Guard established a 2.5-mile safety zone surrounding the barge.
ES&H, an air monitoring service, and T&T Marine, a salvage company, are currently en route to the barge.
The Coast Guard launched a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Coast Guard Station Gulfport, an HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crew from Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., and Coast Guard Cutter Brant from Gulfport to assess the situation.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
