Barge full of containers breaks loose, strikes pier along Seattle waterfront

SEATTLE - Several buildings along Seattle's waterfront were evacuated Thursday afternoon after an unattended barge broke free and struck a pier.

King County Metro (KCM) released a statement saying the unattended barge was initially spotted and intercepted by the Doc Maynard, a King County Water Taxi. 

KCM says the Water Taxi was heading to Pier 50 from Seacrest Dock when the crew spotted a fully loaded container barge dangerously adrift, heading toward the Great Wheel and the Seattle Aquarium.

When the crew realized the barge was moving without the assistance of a tug boat, they sprung into action - using the Doc Maynard's bow to push the moving barge away from the heart of Seattle's waterfront.

The KCM says Captain Dan Krehbiel was able to use the Doc Maynard to direct the barge north, where it eventually landed at Pier 66.

"Without them things could have been a lot worse," said William Kirk with the U.S. Coast Guard. "So, we’re thankful they were able to take control of the barge quickly."

At around 1:25 p.m., the barge struck Pier 66, and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) responded - using three tug boats to transport it to Terminal 115.

Crews with the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) evacuated nearby buildings as a safety precaution. Crews reported no injuries.

The USCG reported no injuries or signs of pollution. However, damage to Pier 66 was reported.

The Port of Seattle released a statement just before 3 p.m. saying services were back to normal:

"After a barge came loose and made contact with Pier 66, we will be conducting an assessment of any damage. There were no injuries or impact to our Maritime operations. Everything is back to normal."

No injuries were reported, according to the SFD.

This is a developing story.