Gas spill from fuel barge leaves sheen near Hoonah

Published: September 12, 2012 

A gasoline spill from a fuel barge being transported near the Southeast community of Hoonah has caused a sheen in the water, according to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.

DEC spokesman Ty Keltner said the crew of a tug transporting the Kirby Offshore Marine barge Leo noticed the sheen Wednesday. They traced it to a 2-inch fracture between the bulkhead of a raised cargo tank and the barge deck.

It's not known how much gasoline spilled. The affected tank contained more than 340,000 gallons. Keltner said a temporary seal was put on the fracture and a small quantity of fuel still leaking is being contained on the barge deck. The spokesman said Kirby is developing a plan to transfer fuel from the affected tank to another tank on the barge.

Keltner said that while a rainbow sheen has been reported at nearby Port Frederick, no impacts to wildlife or the shoreline have been reported.

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