WILLIAM R BARR

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Tug allided with bridge

The Hot Metal Bridge in Pittsburgh was struck by a the "William E. Porter" and a barge on Dec 12, 2012. The incident happened shortly before 8 a.m., when the tug pushing coal barges struck one the bridge’s 125-year-old pilings. The first calls for assistance came at 7:46 a.m. One of the fully loaded coal barges the "William E. Porter" was pushing down stream allided with the Hot Metal Bridge. The vessel was tending a total of three fully loaded barges, all headed for South Point, Ohio, when the incident occurred. The "William E. Porter" was able to pull away from the structure and was determined worthy to continue on its voyage. The bridge and the struck piling underwent inspection via the Army Corps of Engineers and the city of Pittsburgh Public Works. The study showed the supports and the bridge itself were sound for traffic and pedestrians. River traffic was also safe to travel under the bridge. The Coast Guard investigated the cause of the accident, but point to high and fast water on the Monongahela River as a possible factor.