Print this story | E-mail story | This story has 34 comments Add your own | iPod friendly
photo by Marcus Frazier
U.S. Coast Guardsmen, Grand Soleil and Adams County Port officials stand by as the Grand Soleil Casino boat is checked for damage Monday night after a stray barge hit the vessel. The boat took on some water but was pumped to a manageable level. Inspections to insure the vessel’s sturdiness are to continue today.
Barges hit bridge, then casino boat
Published Tuesday, April 29, 2008
NATCHEZ — On Monday night a fleet of loose barges sent local first responders scurrying up and down the Mississippi River searching for damage and renegade barges.
Video
Three barges are hung on the Mississippi River bridges as a result of Monday nights barge accident. Watch »
Adams County Civil Defense Director Stan Owens said he had been informed at least 24 barges had gotten loose. At least one of the barges hit the Mississippi River Bridge on the northern most pylon of the Adams County side of the river.
Another barge struck the Grand Soleil Casino, still under construction at the Natchez-Adams Port.
Video
A barge hit the Mississippi River bridge and then the future Grand Soleil Casino now under construction at the Adams County port. Watch »
Initially a barge was believed to have punctured the hull of the casino boat allowing water to flow in.
Owens said a third barge was believed to have hit a docked barge belonging to a cement company next to the port.
Owens said that barge was being secured to prevent it from breaking loose and striking the casino, docked only a few hundred yards away.
Coast Guardsmen and local law enforcement descended on the port in an effort to find and stop the possible leak on the casino.
Owens said the casino did have some water inside but he said no one could be sure if it was the result of the barge’s strike.
“Right now we’re not sure,” he said.
But Owens said his biggest concern was the safety of the bridge.
“That takes priority,” he said.
While the bridge was not closed to traffic, Owens said the Coast Guard and officials from the Mississippi Department of Transportation were on their way to do an inspection of the bridge at approximately 10:50 p.m.
However MDOT’s Executive Director Larry L. “Butch” Brown said the bridge is built to withstand hits from loose barges and Monday’s hit should not be reason for alarm.
Video
Coast Guard crews inspect Grand Soleil Casino boat after it was hit by a loose barge Monday night. Watch »
“It’s part of the bridge’s design,” he said.
Brown said an inspection after any strike is part of MDOT’s standard procedure.
Brown said the greatest concern from the loose barges comes from the damage they can do after they hit the bridge and continue down river.
But how much damage has been done to the casino, or anything else is still unknown.
.
Comments
Posted by sparky018 (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 1:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
That Sux! Glad noone got hurt!
Posted by NtzMom55 (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 1:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Guess the barge hit "the jackpot".
Posted by sparky018 (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 2:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
LMAO!
Posted by ProNatchez (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 5:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I can't help but wonder if people were on the casino boat working at the time it was hit. If so, they must have been extremely frightened by the collision.
I also can not help but wonder what impact this will have on the Isle of Capri when it re-opens in the next week or so. Will fear of river traffic keep customers off the boat?
Posted by draworks1 (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 6:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't think this will keep the gambles away. Odds are it want happen again and gambles know this. Anyone what to bet ? ; )
Posted by observer (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 6:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The story doesn't tell whether the barges were originally headed upriver or down river when they struck the bridge. Which of the two bridges? Did striking the bridge cause the barges to break away? I would imagine the Isle of Capri would be safe as it is north of the bridges and the swift current would take the barges downstream. Fortunately no one was hurt. Wonder what the poor Indian tribal leaders are thinking now of their ill advised investment.
Posted by ThornInYourSide (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 7:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I doubt if anything can keep a grambler out of a casino. Someone was telling me a few days ago about the last time natchez and vidalia flooded or the water got real high. They said that the isle of capri casino built a pier from the casino to the road for peoople to cross after the flood waters had flooded the road leading down to the casino. So if gramblers are that desperate that flood waters can't keep them away I doubt the thought of a barge hitting the casino will keep them away either.
Posted by inocentbystandr (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 7:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The story clearly states that a loose barge struck the bridge. That means that the barge was already loose before it struck the bridge. I don't think there is any way a loose barge is going to float upstream, especially the way that the river is rolling right now. So looking at it with a little common sense, I would say that the Isle was in a whole hell of a lot of danger. Do you people even comprehend what you are reading?
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 7:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Adams County Civil Defense Director Stan Owens said he had been informed at least 24 barges had gotten loose. "
They knew the things were coming.
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 8:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I've often wondered what would happen if a stray barge or drunk boat captain were to plow into the Isle or Grand casinos while they are at full capacity. Either scenario is possible, you know. Both casinos are situated in the curve of the river, putting them at risk of being rammed. Spoooky.
Posted by sandyman7 (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 8:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Didn't see anything that said where the 24 loose barges came from???? how far up river did they come from ???
Posted by luzichick (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 8:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes, they were informed that they had gotten loose, but it doesn't give any indication of where that fit in the timeline. That may have happened minutes or even seconds before impact, giving them no time to respond. And even if they did have time, what could they do about 24 runaway barges? It's not like stopping a runaway horse.
Posted by southernbelle (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 8:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You can't fool around with"old man river". Could the fact that a barge hit the casino be a sign of what's to come ? I remember buying a new car once a long time ago , that starting getting dings and dents right off the bat . It didn't take long before that car was totaled . I'm not and never have been rough with automobiles . It sounds ridiculous but I seen it happen more than once .
Posted by NatchezHighGraduate1993 (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 8:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Let's not scare the "gamblers" away. The boat that got hit was the new boat, Grand Soleil. Isle of Capri is NOT mentioned ANYWHERE in the article.
Posted by Hardcorps (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 8:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lots of bad juju about this new boat. Maybe it's not meant to be. jes sayin
Posted by ogitchidaa (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 9:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You may be interested to know that this casino boat was involved in another "accident" being ripped apart in hurricane Rita. Currently, there is a lawsuit ongoing to determine who gets the proceeds of the insurance settlement from that problem. The new partners, Bill Bayba and the LDF Tribe are suing Charles Cato for the million dollars that was the second part of 1.3 million that was to go to Charles. Perhaps the Democrat might do a story on that untold chapter.
Posted by dovechase (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Have you people been living in a cave? The Isle has been closed due to high water. No one would have been on board.
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 9:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
By the looks of the pictres that boat is huge....Alot bigger than the isle.....
lol@dovechase
Posted by obamayamama (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 9:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hitting the bridge could be deadly. Yeah, those bridges are built for force, but understand the water currents pushing on those "pylons". The old bridge has been there for at least 50 years too.
If you ask me, more concern should be contributed to the damage of the bridge rather than the casino. We don't want another bridge collapse like Minnesota had last year. No one would probably survive that.
Posted by Natchezbear (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 10:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe this is a sign that the Indians should have a land based casino/Reservation on the grounds of the Ramada and Briars, or is that what was planned all along?
Posted by frogprincenessntz (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 10:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I was under the understanding that there were not supposed to be 24-barge tows until the water level had dropped. This was due to the fact that you could not control that many in the high current! Since the article stated that the barge hit "the northern most pylon of the Adams County side of the river", the barges had to have gotten loose somewhere north of the bridge. It states the Adams County side or east half of the bridge so that would put it fairly close to the Isle. I hope the Soleil is repairable. If someone is going to profit off that much misery, it should be the Indian tribe.
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 10:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
ONE getting "loose" yeah I get it but 24 or more?? please!
Posted by omg (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 12:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Nice pic of the guy with a big cig hanging out of his mouth.
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 12:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
HAHAHA!!! I thought the same thing omg!!
priceless
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 1:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Are the barges cabled together or just free floating and being pushed? I never have understood that. Can someone explain please?
Posted by lowrider (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 2:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The barges are all tied to one another. The tug is also tied into the barges, usually a very secure method, until they hit a solid object.
Posted by mudzillaefi (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 3:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Too bad it didn't sink both of them.
Posted by observer (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 3:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Innocentbystandr, the initial "breaking news" release from the Democrat stated that the barges were travelling north when they struck the bridge. This would make the Isle impervious to being struck. However, the confusing later reports and quotes stated that the barges had already come loose (apparantly while traveling downstream toward Natchez) which, of course would have endangered anything in their path.
I think Democrat readers would like a correct, concise article explaining exactly Who, Where What and When (remember these journalism basics?). Maybe tomorrow they will have gotten themselves together.
Posted by triscuit (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 3:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I found this sentence in other internet news sources...
"The accident occurred when a towboat apparently stalled while heading northbound above the bridge and its string of barges got sideways in the current and broke loose."
Don't know how accurate it is, just that several sources posted this exact wording.
Posted by sammohon (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 7:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
obamayamama...just so's you know, concrete gets harder with age.
triscuit...that story sounds much more reasonable than what we've heard so far...thanks.
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on April 29, 2008 at 8:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That makes more sense, that they were already north of the bridge when they came loose. Of course that means the Isle could have been hit also.
Posted by ProNatchez (anonymous) on April 30, 2008 at 5:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Barges get loose on this river all the time. The Isle is always at risk from it. With the new boat just south of the bridge, it is at even greater risk. I am old enough to remember some of the ferry boat collisions of the past century. Many people died. If one of the casinos was hit by a barge and sunk, (while in operation) people will die.
Now is the chance the city needs to get land-based casinos legalized with the state. Between the barge collision and the flood, someone needs to be talking to the governor to get it done.
Posted by ProNatchez (anonymous) on April 30, 2008 at 7:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I just Googled the Luling Ferry Crash and dug up this link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_George_P...
Of course the ferry was hit by a huge tanker, but 77 people lost their lives that morning. 90 people were on board. Now consider the Isle of Capri on a Saturday night with 500 to 600 people on board. Consider the Grand Soleil which is a lot bigger having maybe 1,000 people on board. How many people would survive. The survivors of the George Prince could see it coming, but most people in the casino, might have little or no warning. It would be a disaster.
Posted by sammohon (anonymous) on April 30, 2008 at 6:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Dang...just saw the governor today and didn't bring it up...seriously, he was down here in Gulfport attending a meeting in my office building...got a chance to wave though...hoohooo!
ProNatchez, you have a great point...it's time to make hay while the sun is shinin'.
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
(Requires free registration.)