Two crewmen were injured when a fire broke out on their towing vessel in the middle of the Ohio River near Wheeling, WV. It is unclear what caused the fire.

The Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2004 required all towing vessels to be subject to safety inspection by the Coast Guard. However, the Coast Guard has not yet prescribed those standards within the past decade – so preventable casualties continue. In the meantime, the Coast Guard conducts examinations to ensure compliance with the minimal requirements required until the regulations are published.

The Martins Time Leader story is at this link.