TRUCK FIRE – Firefighters knock down a fire in a Ford Explorer truck in Arrowhead Trailer Park in the 1200 block of Sawmill Creek Road Saturday evening. One person received fire-related injuries and was taken to the hospital, Sitka Fire Department Chief Craig Warren said, and the truck was considered a total loss. The cause of the fire is under investigation, Warren said. The fire hall received the call about the fire at 5:33 p.m., and one fire engine with eight firefighters and an ambulance were dispatched, he said. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)

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Agencies Expand Effort To Clean Up Oil Spill

By Sentinel Staff

Divers from Alaska Commercial Divers were scheduled to arrive today to minimize further release of oil from a tugboat that sank Wednesday near Old Sitka, the Department of Environmental Conservation said today.

The 81-foot tugboat Powhatan sank in 45 feet of water at the Samson Tug and Barge dock and then slid 330 meters along an underwater ledge, coming to rest at a depth of 180 feet.

The cause of the sinking is under investigation. The vessel, which had been out of use for 10 years, was tied to the Samson dock and unoccupied when it sank, company officials said.

Southeast Petroleum Response Organization is currently on the scene to maintain boom, recover oil and conduct shoreline assessments, DEC said. 

DEC said that an underwater camera was used to confirm the Powhatan’s current position. Divers from Hanson Maritime Company of Sitka confirmed the location of the boat and attached a line to serve as a marker and guide for the Alaska Commercial Divers.

About 1,500 feet of containment boom has been deployed around the vessel. A containment and sorbent boom also was deployed around Samson’s dock to collect oil which is emerging from under the dock, and deflection boom has been deployed at the mouth of No Name Creek and the small anadromous creek on the north side of Starrigavan Bay at the picnic area, DEC said. 

The Coast Guard and DEC posted signs at Starrigavan beach asking the public not to use the beach or harvest shellfish in the vicinity because of the potential presence of oil. Sitka Tribe of Alaska has posted a shellfish advisory notice on the Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean Research website. 

 

“Shoreline assessments are being conducted twice daily to monitor for sheens at Old Sitka boat launch, Starrigavan Beach, and No Name Creek,” DEC said. 

 

DEC’s state on-scene coordinator for Southeast Alaska and a deputy are currently on scene, and the Unified Command – DEC, Coast Guard and Samson – continues to monitor the situation and the potential impact to wildlife, the DEC said.

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20 YEARS AGO

March 2004

Businesses using the Centennial Hall parking lot testified Tuesday against a proposal to charge them rent in addition to the $200 annual permit fee. City Administrator Hugh Bevan made the proposal in response to the Assembly’s direction to Centennial Hall manager Don Kluting to try to close the $340,000 gap between building revenues and operational costs.


50 YEARS AGO

March 1974

Alaska Native Brotherhood Grand President William S. Paul Sr. will be special guest and speaker at the local ANB, Alaska Native Sisterhood Founders Day program Monday at the ANB Hall.

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