Memphis-Archer Daniels Midland’s American River Transportation Co. became entangled in the second runaway barge incident in less than a week when several barges, including an unspecified number of fertilizer barges, broke loose from their towboat on the Mississippi early on Jan. 20. The Coast Guard at the Lower Mississippi Sector said no product was lost from the 32-barge fleet, and no injuries occurred. Lt. Leon McClain said none of the barges sank, but a few sustained structural damage after striking one of two rail spans near the Memphis-Arkansas bridge, which carries Interstate 55 traffic across the river. The bridge was not damaged, and barge repairs were made on the scene. McClain said the Coast Guard office put out alerts to river traffic and that no serious backups occurred during the day. He said Coast Guard personnel joined forces with a number of commercial operators to round up the errant barges and get them on their way. Meanwhile, salvage operations are continuing on the Ohio River at Louisville, Ky., where four barges in a 14-barge fleet broke loose early Jan. 16, leaving a fertilizer carrier jammed up between two gates at McAlpine dam and a salt barge under water (GM Jan. 22, p. 11). The Ohio Valley sector Coast Guard reported that salvage crews think they can refloat the sunken unit, but will have to cut the fertilizer barge, which lost all its liquid fertilizer load, in two, and lift out the two pieces separately with a crane.
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