Three injured in Lake Michigan barge explosion

The following is the text of a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard:

(CLEVELAND) — The U.S. Coast Guard rescued three people from the water after an explosion occurred on a 30-foot barge that knocked them into the water near Washington Park Marina in Michigan City, Ind., on Friday.

The port authority barge was inbound from retrieving no-wake buoys when an explosion occurred and was reported to the Coast Guard at 2:30 p.m. by a good Samaritan who witnessed it.

Sector Lake Michigan diverted a Coast Guard auxiliary crew to the scene and launched a Coast Guard Station Michigan City 29-foot response boat-small crew, which arrived on scene, rescued the three people from the water, and transported them to local emergency medical services.

All three people were wearing life jackets.

Coast Guard personnel are staying on scene to mitigate the impact of any potential pollution.

By Professional Mariner Staff