During the late hours on Sunday, May 23rd, boaters reported seeing a barge smoking in the middle of the Delaware Bay.
This cargo barge was located approximately 9 miles off the coast of Port Mahon, Delaware, and was hauling household scrap.
Delaware Bay Barge Fire is OUT
Onboard were items such as refrigerators, other home appliances, and a wide variety of metal that may have plastic and other combustible materials on it.
After the fire was reported ships such as Northstar Independence and numerous fireboats from Delaware and New Jersey responded to help put the fire out.
While at this time the cause of the fire is under investigation, it is believed to have started after a lightning strike during the Sunday evening storm. (this is why you don’t hold a metal pole during a thunder and lightning storm.
By Tuesday when it was realized that the fire wasn’t going out, a New York Fire Department boat took the 150-mile ride down to help assist.
As of yesterday afternoon, the fire was officially extinguished.
After all the heat from the fire and the pressure from the hoses laying water on the trash, the barge is still afloat.
Salvage plans are underway between Northstar Environmental & Marine Services, Inc. and Resolve Salvage of Fort Lauderdale to bring the barge back to port safely.
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