Barge spills gas into Hudson
Tanks split on outcrop near creek
By Dan Shapley
Poughkeepsie Journal
NEW HAMBURG -- A 3.1 million gallon-capacity barge laden with gasoline spilled some of its load into the Hudson River near the mouth of the Wappinger Creek at about 3:40 p.m. Thursday, officials said.
A stinging odor of gasoline permeated the air in New Hamburg, strong enough to cause a burning sensation to the eyes and nose.
At least two of the barge's 10 tanks ruptured when it scraped over Diamond Reef, also sometimes called Diamond Point, a rocky underwater outcrop near the eastern shore of the river, Dutchess County Sheriff Lt. Gary Bashor said. Three tanks ruptured, according to Jeffrey Renihan, chief of the New Hamburg Fire Department.
The Bouchard Transportation Co. Barge B35 was being propelled by the Bruce A. McAllister, a McAllister Towing and Transport tug. It was destined for a facility in Rensselaer.
Reached Thursday night, a McAllister representative said reporters' questions would be answered today. Bouchard Transportation Co. did not return a phone message left after business hours.
Anchored at park
The tug and 338-foot barge anchored near Bowdoin Park in the Town of Poughkeepsie after the accident.
The amount of gasoline spilled will not be known until a second barge arrives to pump out the remaining contents of the ruptured barge, officials said.
As a ruptured tank takes on water, it creates pressure that prevents all the gasoline from spilling, officials said. The pressure also forced gasoline to spew from vents on the barge's side, Renihan said.
The U.S. Coast Guard planned to send a helicopter to scope the extent of the spill from the air, spokesman Mike Hvozda said. Whatever gasoline spilled will be left to evaporate.
The Coast Guard will instruct National Response Corporation, which Bouchard contracted for the cleanup, to install a boom at the mouth of the Wappinger Creek to prevent gasoline from flowing in, Hvozda said. Other precautions may be taken as the extent of the spill is defined.
''There was a slick on the river,'' Renihan said. ''But the wind was helping us out, helping it evaporate.''
Diamond Reef has caused several accidents over the years, though it is on navigation charts, officials and residents said.
Bashor said strong winds may have contributed to the accident.
''There is a turn there in the river and high crosswinds can cause a vessel to shift,'' Bashor said. ''There is not a lot of negotiating room.''
Strong winds and poor visibility have contributed to past accidents, as have piloting errors, including the January 1983 gasoline spill that resulted from the Tug Marjorie B. McAllister running its barge into the reef.
A strong smell of gasoline filled the air in the hamlet of New Hamburg. Many residents showed up at local marinas questioning what had happened. Boaters were also warned via Coast Guard radio to avoid the area.
Craig Edgar, a lifelong resident, heard from his wife about the spill and made the waterfront his first stop on his way home to learn what had happened.
''The smell was so bad she was getting dizzy from it,'' he said. She drove her child away from the hamlet to escape the smell.
The Department of Environmental Conservation, the Town of Poughkeepsie police and Alamo Ambulance Service also assisted at the scene.
The Coast Guard is leading the investigation, and will determine whether the tug operator should be penalized.
''There will be a lot taking place over next 24 to 48 hours,'' Hvozda said.
Journal staff writers Kathianne Boniello and Nik Bonopartis contributed to this report. Dan Shapley can be reached at dshapley@poughkeepsiejournal.com
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