The Coast Guard responded to an explosion and fire onboard a tank barge designed to carry flammable liquid cargo near Lemont, Ill., on Monday.
The tank barge exploded while moored pier side at Illinois Marine Towing in Lemont, about 25 miles from Chicago.
The barge was unloaded and in the process of being cleaned at the time of the explosion. Its previous cargo was acetone, and a residual amount of the cargo was on fire following the explosion. The associated fire was extinguished by the local fire department and no injuries were reported.
Pollution responders, vessel inspectors, and investigators from Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Chicago immediately responded to the scene. The cause of the explosion is under investigation.
There are no impacts to the navigation channel of the Chicago Ship and Sanitary Canal Des Plaines River and regular shipping traffic has continued without incident.
