On April 13, 2024, more than two dozen barges broke loose on the Ohio River in Pittsburgh.
The incident caused damage to a marina and one barge was reported missing. Officials closed two bridges as a precautionary measure after the barges drifted uncontrollably downstream for miles before coming into contact with structures or other vessels.
On April 13, 2024, a significant event occurred in Pittsburgh when more than two dozen barges broke loose on the Ohio River. The incident caused damage to a marina and one barge was reported missing. Officials closed two bridges as a precautionary measure after the barges drifted uncontrollably downstream for miles before coming into contact with structures or other vessels. It is not clear what caused the barges to break free, but it appears that they were carrying dry cargo such as coal and fertilizer. The authorities are currently conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the incident and assess any damage that may have been done.
More than two dozen barges broke loose in Pittsburgh and were drifting down the Ohio River
The incident occurred near Peggy's Harbor, a marina on the Ohio River's northern bank
23 of the vessels were loaded with dry cargo such as coal, and three were empty
Accuracy
11 of the barges were pinned against the river bank near Brunot Island. Fourteen drifted down the river and six traveled over the Emsworth Dam
One barge containing coal is still missing as of Saturday afternoon. Officials believe it sank but can't start looking until river conditions change.
The navigation channel won't reopen until water levels have lowered, Vernon said.
Deception
(30%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author uses sensationalist language such as 'uncontrolled' and 'extensive damage', which creates a false sense of urgency and danger for readers without providing any context or evidence to support these claims. Secondly, the article selectively reports details that only serve to reinforce its narrative about the incident being dangerous, while ignoring other important information that would provide a more balanced view. For example, there were no injuries reported and Peggy's Harbor saw 'extensive damage', but it is not clear what this damage refers to or how severe it was. Lastly, the article uses emotional manipulation by including quotes from sources such as Eyobe Mills of the U.S Coast Guard who describes the incident as a 'dynamic situation'. This creates an impression that there is chaos and uncertainty surrounding the event when in fact, officials are trying to locate one missing barge before proceeding with an investigation.
The article selectively reports details that only serve to reinforce its narrative about the incident being dangerous
The article uses sensationalist language such as 'uncontrolled' and 'extensive damage'
'This is a dynamic situation so things are changing all the time'
Fallacies
(70%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the U.S. Coast Guard as a source of information without providing any context or qualification for their expertise in this specific situation.
>26 barges broke loose in Pittsburgh, drifting in an uncontrolled manner down the Ohio River.
Bias
(85%)
The article contains a statement that the barges broke free from their facility 'under high water conditions on the rivers resulting in strong currents due to flooding in the area.' This is an example of monetary bias as it implies that high water levels are responsible for this incident. Additionally, there is no mention of any other factors such as human error or equipment failure which could have contributed to this event.
The barges broke free from their facility 'under high water conditions on the rivers resulting in strong currents due to flooding in the area.'
Pittsburgh officials closed two bridges after more than two dozen barges broke loose late Friday and floated uncontrolled down the Ohio River.
One barge containing coal is still missing as of Saturday afternoon. Officials believe it sank but can't start looking until river conditions change.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(30%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that officials closed two bridges after more than two dozen barges broke loose late Friday and floated uncontrolled down the Ohio River. However, according to the article itself, only one bridge was actually closed - a rail bridge to Brunot Island about 2 miles west of downtown Pittsburgh. The other bridge mentioned in the article (West End Bridge) was not closed at all but rather had its closure clarified by city officials later on.
The author claims that two bridges were closed after more than two dozen barges broke loose, however only one bridge was actually closed.
Fallacies
(70%)
The article contains several logical fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the U.S Army Corps of Engineers and the US Coast Guard as sources for information without providing any context or criticism of their statements. Additionally, there are multiple instances where dichotomous depictions are used to describe the situation, such as
The most important thing is not necessarily how fast we can recover these barges,
Bias
(85%)
The article contains examples of religious bias and monetary bias. The author uses language that depicts one side as extreme or unreasonable by referring to the barges breaking loose as a 'nightmare' and saying that officials are taking steps to ensure safety before recovering them.
> Around 11:30 p.m., officials responded to 26 barges moving downriver. Three of the barges were empty, and 23 carried cargo such as coal and one carried fertilizer, though there were no hazardous materials on board.
The most important thing is not necessarily how fast we can recover these barges, but how safely it can be done.
26 barges broke loose last night on the upper Ohio River
One of those barges struck the Sewickley Bridge on the Moon Township side and that bridge is now closed until further notice
The Army Corps of Engineers says further inspection is underway to assess damage caused by barge collision with Sewickley Bridge
Accuracy
Sewickley Bridge temporarily closed after loose barge hits it while floating down Ohio River
26 barges broke loose last night on the upper Ohio River, all but one have been accounted for
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, it states that the Sewickley Bridge has reopened after being closed due to a loose barge hitting it while floating down the Ohio River. However, this statement is false as there are still ongoing inspections and investigations into the damage caused by the hit on the bridge.
The article mentions that an unmanned barge passed through Moon Township Police Department's social media update about closing out of caution, but this information was not accurate as no such post existed.
The article states that 'the Sewickley Bridge has reopened'. This is a lie because there are still ongoing inspections and investigations into the damage caused by a loose barge hitting it while floating down the Ohio River.
Fallacies
(80%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Bias
(85%)
The article contains a statement that the Sewickley Bridge was temporarily closed after a loose barge hit it while floating down the Ohio River. This is an example of bias as it implies that the bridge was damaged by someone or something other than natural forces such as flooding. The author also uses language like 'another issue' and 'just before 1130 last night', which creates a sense of urgency and danger, implying that this event is significant and should be taken seriously.
The Sewickley Bridge was temporarily closed after a loose barge hit it while floating down the Ohio River.
