Chicago Tug & Barge Grounding: Latest Update
The Coast Guard says it is continuing its response to the grounded towing vessel 'Kimberly Selvick' in Lake Michigan off of Burnahm Park.The vessel remains partially submerged, while the two barges that broke free from the tug Monday afternoon have been removed and towed to Calumet Harbor Fleeting. The vessel began taking on water and became partially submerged while trying to retrieve the two barges. Four people aboard the tug were evacuated by a rescue crew from the Chicago Fire Department Marine Unit. No injuries were reported. An overflight of the area revealed a 10-foot by 100-foot sheen near the vessel. Initial inspections indicated that the sheen was caused by small quantities of residual oil waste from the tug’s bilge and not from fuel onboard.
Tug and Barges Run Aground near Chicago
The U.S. Coast Guard and members of the Chicago Fire Department responded Monday afternoon to the grounding of the vessel Kimberly Selvick and two attached barges about one quarter mile east of Burnham Park in Chicago. A rescue crew from the Chicago Fire Department Marine Unit successfully evacuated four crew members from the vessel. No injuries or pollution have been reported. At 4:42 p.m. a Sector Lake Michigan communications watchstander received a call over VHF-FM channel 16 from a crew member of the Kimberly Selvick reporting it had run aground while trying to retrieve two barges that broke free, and that the vessel was taking on water. The vessel is 55-foot tug and was pushing one rock barge and one crane barge at the time of the incident.
