Five barges break loose on Mississippi River near Gramercy; two containing caustic soda sink

[TexasTowelie]

Source: Baton Rouge Advocate

Two of the five barges that broke loose on the Mississippi River on Thursday afternoon in St. James Parish have sunk and contain hazardous caustic soda, the St. James Parish sheriff said.

Sheriff Willy Martin Jr. said deputies have told municipalities with drinking water intakes on the river to monitor water from the river in case the caustic soda has made it downstream.

The other three barges that broke free have been contained and are under control, Martin said, though one has capsized.

Martin said he did not know what is in the other three barges.

Read more: http://theadvocate.com/news/12813216-123/mississippi-river-bridge-near-gramercy

[niyad]

1. how in the hell did FIVE barges break loose at the same time?

[Fritz Walter]

2. Wait for it...

Piyush Jindal will blame it on President Obama!
Mark my words.

[Fumesucker]

5. Push boats (tugs) often handle more than one barge at a time

Here's a push boat with fifteen barges at once, look like coal barges.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

3. That stuff eats flesh on contact.

[Igel]

4. Lutecatfisk. n/t

[Fumesucker]

6. DUzy!

[navarth]

7. caustic soda???? fuck

caustic soda ain't funny, y'all. As one poster here said, it eats flesh on contact. That's no bullshit, I've got a big scar on my arm from it. Just a little dot got on my shirt when I was working at a chemical plant in my youth.

two barges of caustic soda is a major environmental disaster. This is not good to hear at all.

[itsrobert]

8. any chance of it getting into the water supply?

I have no idea.

[AngryAmish]

11. Mississippi River is huge

Dilution is the solution.

[navarth]

12. dude

That shit is concentrated. The place I worked at used it to make paint stripper..even a big river, there's going to be massive damage at least to the immediate area. That's terrible.

Not saying that to be argumentative; I never argue with somebody that uses Saint Coltrane in their avatar. 26-2, my friend.

[jmowreader]

9. So much for the aquatic life for two miles downstream of this spill

Two barges full of caustic soda (aka sodium hydroxide aka lye) will raise the pH level of the water in the area of the spill enough to kill a LOT of fish and crustaceans in the area.

[Earth_First]

10. The material was expected to dissipate and neutralize soon after entering the water, posing minimal

Right.

However, as a precaution; monitor the water in the area...

Good grief!

[Enrique]

13. thanks Obama n/t

[vkkv]

14. Cuz... Slave Flag banned! and.. uh.. Gay Marriage!

and... I want to be the anti-immigration President!

- Bobby J.