The abandoned restaurant barge known as the Casey barge slowly sinks in this March 24, 2015, photo. Story updated
This story was updated at 3:35 p.m. with additional information on the suspected sabotage of the barge.
The rundown barge on Chattanooga's waterfront, which sank about 4 feet overnight, appears to have been intentionally sabotaged, the trustee in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court case said today.
Also, Jerrold Farinash, trustee in the case involving businessman Allen Casey's barge, said he plans to meet this weekend with a Mississippi company about moving the barge from its location across from Ross's Landing.
Farinash said that a hose that was to have been pumping out water from the barge was instead diverted inside the vessel, causing it to sink.
He said that by the time the line was discovered the barge had sunken.
"It was an act of vandalism," Farinash said.
He said plans are to use bigger pumps to expel the water, which should be a two-day process.
See Wednesday's Times Free Press for more.
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said today that it's monitoring Allen Casey's rundown barge moored off Chattanooga's downtown waterfront after it sank about 4 feet overnight.
Corps spokesman Lee Roberts said it has informed its navigation section about reports that possible debris from the barge may be floating down river.
But, he said that removal of the vessel remains at this point under the purview of U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
Farinash is working to finalize a bank loan to finance the dismantling and removal of the barge from its mooring across from Ross's Landing. Casey never was able to fulfill his dream of a riverfront restaurant, the vessel fell into disrepair and Casey and his company filed for bankruptcy last year in the face of a lawsuit from investors.
See more in Wednesday's Times Free Press.
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