Cargo Removal Ops Begin on Sunken Barge
CHICAGO, IL – The process of removing the Clarified Slurry Oil that remains on board the EMC423 barge has commenced today. This operation will be closely monitored by the Coast Guard and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that it is safe, efficient, and will not result in further pollution. While this lightering operation is underway, the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal will be closed to all vessel traffic between the Cicero Avenue Bridge and Chicago Belt Railway Bridge so as to not interfere with the cargo removal process. The Coast Guard has been working in partnership with facilities along the canal that rely on shipments of products and materials by barge to minimize the economic effect of this closure.
Hearing Scheduled on Barge Explosion
At approximately 4:45 p.m. on January 19, 2005 a tank barge that was owned and operated by Egan Marine Corporation exploded and sank in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal just east of the Cicero Avenue Bridge. One crewmember died as a result of the explosion. Salvage operations are currently underway to remove the barge from the canal. At the direction of the Ninth District Commander, the Coast Guard will convene a formal hearing beginning at 10:00 a.m. on April 4, 2005 to determine the cause of this casualty. The Coast Guard hearing will be open to the public and will be held at the William Tell Holiday Inn in Countryside, IL. Media…