Stuck barge blocking part of Fraser River refloated, coast guard confirms

A barge that blocked part of the Fraser River Thursday night was moved, officials confirmed.

The barge was refloated at about 10:15 p.m. after it ran aground near the Knight Street Bridge, the Canadian Coast Guard confirmed with CTV News Vancouver.

A recycling business on Mitchell Island told CTV News the barge became stuck sometime in the afternoon. Officials weren't able to say Thursday what caused the barge to become trapped.

The Port of Vancouver told CTV News Thursday early assessments showed "no injuries or environmental impacts," and the coast guard's Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Victoria – which conducts marine search and rescue operations – confirmed it didn't respond to the incident.

While the channel north of Mitchell Island was blocked by the barge, the North Arm of the Fraser River remained navigable, with vessels able to safely pass south of Mitchell Island.

The area is highly industrial, with multiple lumber yards, scrap yards and automotive businesses based on Mitchell Island and the river's northern shore in South Vancouver.

The barge and a tugboat that also became stuck were moved when the tide was high.

The plan to remove the Fraser River barge came together much more quickly than one has for Vancouver's infamous English Bay barge. 

That vessel has been stranded on Sunset Beach for more than five months and, while floating unmoored, forced the closure of Burrard Street Bridge. Conversely, Knight Street Bridge traffic was not impacted by the Fraser River incident.