KEMP, Texas — Kemp city officials say four employees of their water utilities department are fine tonight after they were rescued from a stalled barge on Cedar Creek Lake this morning.
KEMP, Texas — Kemp city officials say four employees of their water utilities department are fine tonight after they were rescued from a stalled barge on Cedar Creek Lake this morning.
Officials tell inForney.com that the employees had completed some routine maintenance of an intake structure for the city’s water system and were headed back to shore when they sustained gusty winds of 15-20 mph. The winds caused the barge to intake waves of water over its front bow. The vessel took on so much water that the engine flooded and stalled out.
Workers managed to paddle and drift the boat to nearby Cedar Creek Wildlife Management Area Big Island - also known to locals as Shaw Island - before evacuating the boat and calling 911 for help around 10 a.m. Tuesday morning.
“The Kemp Volunteer Fire Department responded and were able to help us rescue the employees,” says Luis Valentin, the city’s public works director. “No one went into the water and no one was injured. We appreciate the fire departments help in towing the boat back.”
Valentin says the barge did not sustain any permanent or substantial damage and it was back in service on Tuesday afternoon
