QUEEN CHARLOTTE, B.C. -- A floating fishing lodge has run aground in British Columbia not far from the Haida Gwaii village of Queen Charlotte, prompting safety concerns for area boaters.
Posts on the village's Facebook page say the barge Tasu 1, which carries the lodge, was torn from its moorings during a storm Saturday night.
There are concerns about fuel vapours possibly accumulating within the barge and officials in Queen Charlotte say the coast guard has established an emergency zone around the vessel because it is considered an explosion hazard.
The coast guard posted on social media that it is on scene working to keep the site safe and reduce any environmental risk.
Only one person was aboard when the barge went aground.
The coast guard says it is working with the owners of the lodge and local contractors to develop a plan to stabilize and salvage the barge.
