I-40 bridge not first collision for tug

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette | JIM BROOKS

[HAL9000]

The tugboat that struck and toppled a 580-foot section of an Interstate 40 bridge over the Arkansas River in eastern Oklahoma also collided into a Mississippi River bridge in St. Louis about eight years ago, U.S. Coast Guard records reveal.

A search of the Coast Guard's database revealed 11 pages of records involving the Robert Y Love -- the tug that struck the interstate bridge in Webbers Falls, Okla. The report included two references to steering problems and a reference to a May 4, 1994, incident in St. Louis.

"M/V Robert Y. Love allided [struck] with Eads Bridge rupturing the No. 3 port fuel tank," the report says.

The tugboat, which was pushing two empty 495-foot-long tanker barges, passed through the Trimble Lock and Dam No. 13 east of Fort Smith shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday, heading upstream, said a spokesman for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Little Rock District.

The tugboat would have passed two other locks and traveled 52 miles before reaching the Interstate 40 bridge near Webbers Falls.

Authorities investigating the Sunday morning accident said the tug's captain apparently blacked out or suffered a seizure, causing the barge to smash into the support pilings of the bridge.

The tugboat was built in 1955 and is the property of Magnolia Marine Transport Co., a Vicksburg, Miss., subsidiary of Ergon Inc. Magnolia Marine operates 15 towboats and more than 60 barges moving products through the Mississippi River system and the intracoastal waterways of the Gulf of Mexico.

Magnolia Marine Transport operates an asphalt-producing refinery in Vicksburg, according to the Ergon Web site, which touts the company for operating "the largest inland asphalt fleet in the United States."

An employee of Magnolia Marine Transport said company officials were sent to the Oklahoma accident scene to conduct an investigation but offered no other information.

"We've got a company investigation team dispatched to the site," said Sam Thigpen, an employee with Magnolia Marine. "All the appropriate authorities have been notified."

No other details of the 1994 bridge incident were available. Officials with Magnolia and Ergon were unavailable for comment when contacted Sunday afternoon about the Coast Guard report. Efforts to contact the Coast Guard also were unsuccessful.

The current on the Arkansas River at the accident scene was normal, said a spokesman with the Tulsa District of the Corps of Engineers.

"The flows this morning were 54,000 cubic feet per second, and the normal flow this time of year can easily be 60,000 to 75,000 cubic feet per second," said Mary Beth Hudson.

The Corps of Engineers shut down the flow from upstream after the accident to allow for better conditions for the recovery effort, Hudson said.

By late afternoon, the river current was flowing about 40,000 cubic feet per second and was expected to decrease further.  

[HAL9000]

The economic impact of this disaster will be large, and I doubt the Magnolia Marine Transport Co. will survive.

[piasa]

The 1994 incident was during a big flood- we'd had the great flood in 93 but the next year was pretty messy too. We had a lot of runaway barges that year too, if I remember right. The current was really tough and the clearances on the bridges were reduced.

[piasa]

Title: Ramming of the Poplar Street Bridge by the Towboat M/V Erin Marie and its Twelve-Barge Tow, St. Louis, Missouri, April 26, 1984. NTSB Report Number: MAR-85-02, adopted on 02/05/1985 NTIS Report Number: PB85-916402

Cached source of assorted marine and river accidents

source

[Lauratealeaf]

I wonder what else will come out about the Captain.

[1234]

hope blood and urine samples from capt. taken immediately, and are allowed to be tested in all manners, under strict supervision. hope there's no whitewash of this incident.

[NerdDad]

Wondering the same. This seizure--was it the first? What was the cause? If he had a documented seizure condition, what was is medication regimin? What do the appropriate transportation regulations say about boat captains, seizure conditions, operating under the influence of medication? I know that train engineers are immediately tested for drugs following an accident, what about boat captains? While I have concentrated on seizures, the same questions apply if it was a black-out.

[CWRWinger]

If this captain has a history of 'blackouts' or drugs or drunkeness, the captain and the company officials should be charged with manslaughter.

Oh, can't fire the guy for being a drunk or disabled on drugs? Charge the government policy makers with manslaughter also.

[Lauratealeaf]

Good post. My grandmother was an epileptic and her seizures came without warning. She never drove a car. I cannot understand how a "seizure" could just happen unless it was something new and profound that happened to the Captain. I just wonder why there was no one else standing by who could have taken control. There is too much at stake when they are operating a boat or barge that can take down an interstate bridge. I have crossed that bridge hundreds of times in my life and never considered the thought that it could collapse. I am really thinking of the families that this happened to. It is horrible.

[1234]

...This seizure--was it the first? What was the cause? If he had a documented seizure condition, what was is medication regimin? What do the appropriate transportation regulations say about boat captains, seizure conditions, operating under the influence of medication?

being a former deck officer: sumptins fishy here-standby for answers(i hope).

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Technically when a ship hits a stationary object, it's called an "allision". When a ship hits another ship, that's a collision. Why do they have only person on the bridge, considering the consequences of losing the operator?

[IoCaster]

"I wonder what else will come out about the Captain."

Might not be the same captain or pilot. Very few crew members work on the same vessel for an extended period of time.

[IoCaster]

"hope blood and urine samples from capt. taken immediately, and are allowed to be tested in all manners, under strict supervision. hope there's no whitewash of this incident."

Tests are mandatory after any marine incident or accident.

[1234]

Tests are mandatory after any marine incident or accident.

my concern remains regarding the immediacy of gaining samples-dunno much on this score from the reporting; tho 'they' can factor in time, i've witnessed bothched testing whereby in the case of a drunk driver, his testing was too delayed to provide evidence of being over the legal limit at the time in question.

[NerdDad]

As a young man I dated a girl who had epilepsy. She and her younger brother both took some serious stuff but their seizures were well controlled by it. I served in the AF with a guy who developed a seizure condition while we were in the same squadron. It was a scary time for him and for his friends. However, once his condition was properly diagnosed, and his medication properly regulated, he went on to have a very successful career as an aircraft scheduler. In both cases, these people recognized the dangers inherent in their condition and took proper steps. They also informed anyone who spent much time with them, what to do in case of a seizure.

I travel over bridges of the Tennessee-Tombigbee waterway on a regular basis and have given little thought to the barges passing underneath causing me harm. But then, I felt like it was reasonable to expect that boat captains pushing/pulling these barges would take similar steps to control any medical conditions that might affect their ability to perform their duties. I might be more selective when crossing these bridges in the future. And I will be looking for the proper authorities to be answering some of my questions fairly soon. We have enough concerns for our safety without having to worry about unfit boat captains knocking bridges out from under us.

[Lauratealeaf]

Another good post. My grandmother's epilepsy was never controllable by medication so she was wise to never attempt to drive. Some epilepsy is controllable but I doubt that those with that condition should ever be allowed to pilot boats or anything else.

[who knows what evil?]

Does anyone know the status of the 64/100 bridge 2 miles NORTH of the Interstate 40 bridge? Some sources say it is "shaky and closed"; others say one lane is open; and still others say it is open. Which is it? If it is damaged, what was this bridge damaged by, since the I-40 bridge was destroyed by a barge heading NORTH?

[IoCaster]

I believe the tests would have been done as soon as the captain arrived at the hospital for treatment. I doubt that there was any delay in this case. The USCG would have insisted.

[Osage Orange]

You wrote:

"The economic impact of this disaster will be large"

#########################################################

Well.....We might have to agree to disagree here. I think it's a reach to call this a disaster...in the normal sense of the word. ( Not saying, of course..that it's NOT a disasterous event for those involved...And maybe that is your meaning...)

Also disagree with your prediction of the economic impact. In my view....the economic impact will be minimal, at worse.

FWIW,

[SarahW]

FYI - An isolated seizure event is possible. There are a number of medical events and conditions that can cause blackouts and/or seizures.

If he had a seizure, he does not necessarily have epilepsy. Brain damage from a minor infarct or bleed can lead to a seizure or seizures. A demyelinating disease can cause seizure. Diabetes can lead to blackout - he might even have simply fainted, although I would guess if they are calling it a seizure he had other signs of that.

Consider, the Captain is at least fifty (he's been piloting tugs for 30 years. Initial drug and alcohol tests were negative.

[1234]

I believe the tests would have been done as soon as the captain arrived at the hospital for treatment. I doubt that there was any delay in this case. The USCG would have insisted.

agreed-national publicity should keep'em on their toes-jus seemed like an unusual case that needs to be worried 'bout-hope the capt. is exonerated, but seems unlikely w/info so far.