A Tri-State River Products’ dredge boat, which had been working in the area, “overturned” around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The incident regarding the boat was reported to the captain of the Port Pittsburgh per a U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Division 7 post on social media. The sunken barge and vessel was reportedly near marker 45 on the Ohio River on the right descending bank with oil sheen observed in the area.

The Coast Guard urged vessels to exercise “extreme caution in the area.”

The vessel can hold up to 13,000 gallons of fuel, according to other sources.

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No one was believed to be on board at the time of the incident.

Jeremy Ober, head of Hancock County Emergency Management Agency, reported that the owner of the boat has contacted a private company to assist in clean up.

Dredge boats typically are specialized vessels hired to scrape debris from waterway beds. It is unknown who had contracted with them for this work to the waterway.

According to Chester fire chief John Hissam, his department did respond to the area but was dismissed shortly upon arrival as they weren’t needed.

Spokesmen from the Newell Volunteer Fire Department, U.S. Coast Guard and West Virginia Department of Environment Protection didn’t respond for comment on the incident.

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