LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Several crashed coal barges are still sitting on the Ohio River and creating some serious safety concerns.
The coal barges crashed into the Second Street Bridge on Tuesday night. After impact, all 15 loaded barges broke free from the towing vessel and were swept away by the river.
Officials say each barge was carrying 1,500-1,800 tons of coal. Officials do not believe there is an immediate concern about environmental impact.
Six barges have been recovered, four barges sank, and five of them are on the dam just above the Falls of the Ohio.
“The plan is to assess the stability of the barges, pull what we can off the dam and conduct salvage operations as necessary,” said Lt. Commander Mike Metz with the U.S. Coast Guard.
One of the barges is stuck in a gate of the dam, which could prevent it from closing. Officials say that could cause big problems, including the river going down to concerning levels.
"The pool could draw down if we get low enough water conditions, low enough flow and don't get those barges out in time,” said Shawn Kenney with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
If the water levels get too low, that could impact water intakes and power plants, as well as boats and barges that need to travel on the river.
“It can be a variety of detrimental things if this pool goes dry,” Kenney said.
Officials did not feel it was safe to send inspection crews out on the water Friday, and it's going to take teams of people and salvage specialists to get the job done.
"We want to do this safely,” Metz said. “And with the stability of the barges and the dynamic river conditions, we want to make sure that this gets done correctly."
Cleanup work is expected to start this weekend. Officials are urging people to stay away from the operation due to safety issues. The driftwood area at Ashland Park is of particular concern due to high water levels.
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