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Cleveco Barge; Lake Erie, 9 miles N of Euclid, Ohio

Lake Erie, 9 miles N of Euclid, Ohio | 1994-Jul-12

Initial Notification: On 12 July 1994, the National Response Center received a report of sheen in Lake Erie, nine miles north of Euclid, Ohio. MSO Cleveland determined the source to be the sunken barge CLEVECO. Records indicate the 260 foot barge sank during a blizzard in December 1942. The barge was in tow from Toledo, Ohio to Cleveland, Ohio carrying 1,013,325 gallons of No. 6 Fuel Oil. In 1961, the Army Corps of Engineers supervised a salvage operation to raise the barge from its original location, move it clear of the shipping lanes, and resink it in 70 feet of water. Records showed that the barge, currently resting keel up, could still contain up to 800,000 gallons of product in 5 of its 6 tanks. The COTP federalized the incident after divers observed an ounce of oil leaking out of a 1.5 inch valve every 13 minutes. This leak was plugged on 16 July and an inspection of all exposed valves on the hull was conducted. These valves were installed in the hull during the initial salvage in 1961 to pump air into the tanks in order to raise the barge. USCG district 2. Keyword: NAVSUPSALV.

Incident Details
Products of concern:#6 fuel oil
Total amount at risk of spill: 800,000 gallons
Latitude (approximate): 41° 47.60′ North
Longitude (approximate): 81° 36.10′ West