Barge Capsizes In St. Louis Harbor

The Coast Guard is investigating after a report of a capsized caustic soda barge May 26 in the St. Louis harbor.

No one was injured.

The Coast Guard received a report that a towing vessel was moving a barge loaded with caustic soda to a fleeting area and struck another barge secured in a fleet, resulting in the first barge capsizing, said Petty Officer Ryan Shultz, a public affairs officer for the Coast Guard’s Eighth District.

“At this time, there is no report of a confirmed release of caustic soda,” Shultz said.

He added that the barge owner, Ingram Barge Company, had proactively deployed a containment boom around the site at Mile 172.4 and that water quality analysis through sample testing was in progress.

“Due to the properties of caustic soda, any potential contamination is anticipated to dilute rapidly,” he said.