NEW CASTLE, Del. — Flames engulfed a barge loaded with scrap metal Tuesday morning as it traveled through Delaware Bay waters, prompting a multi-agency emergency response.
Coast Guard units launched shortly after 8 a.m. following initial reports of the blaze, deploying one helicopter and two watercraft to the scene, according to Petty Officer First Class Matthew West. Fire departments from the area also joined the response effort. The unmanned vessel was being pulled by a tugboat when the flames ignited, West reported, noting that no one was hurt in the incident.
Maritime traffic continued moving normally despite the ongoing emergency, West confirmed. Hours after the initial outbreak, the fire continued to burn as the barge remained stationary in the water. Emergency boats positioned on either side of the vessel directed powerful water streams at the blazing metal heaps while thick smoke poured from multiple fire locations across the deck.
Investigators have not yet determined what sparked the blaze, West stated.
