Automatic source timelineTX 77979, USATimeline updated 8 Sept 2026

Dredge Barge Fire, Port O' Connor, Matagorda Bay TX; TX 77979, USA

NOAA initial notification: “On April 18, 2018, the USCG Sector Corpus Christie contacted the NOAA RRO regarding a dredge barge that had caught fire after alliding with a shut-in natural gas pipeline. Natural gas condensate is currently discharging from the pipeline and burning off in the fire. No injuries […]”[1]

Follow the timeline Latest included source reportOriginal sources (4)

Latest included source report

Posted 19 Apr 2018

Latest source report

“CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Unified Command consisting of Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office and RLB Contracting Inc., continues to respond to a gas pipeline fire near Port O'Connor, Texas, Wednesday. Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders received a mayday Tuesday evening from the captain of the dredging barge Jonathon King Boyd, who reported the vessel […]” Current outcome is not independently verified by seahazards.[4]

NOAA report chronology

4 dated source records · 18 Apr 2018 to 19 Apr 2018
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NOAA incident record opened

Initial notification excerpt: “On April 18, 2018, the USCG Sector Corpus Christie contacted the NOAA RRO regarding a dredge barge that had caught fire after alliding with a shut-in natural gas pipeline. Natural gas condensate is currently discharging from the pipeline and burning off in the fire. No injuries reported - all crew accounted for.”

NOAA approximate incident area; not a vessel track

Initial incident area only. Dates are NOAA postings, not a vessel track. Playback advances every 5 seconds.

Milestone 1 of 4: 18 Apr 2018. NOAA incident record opened. NOAA approximate incident area; not a vessel track

  1. NOAA incident record opened

    Initial notification excerpt: “On April 18, 2018, the USCG Sector Corpus Christie contacted the NOAA RRO regarding a dredge barge that had caught fire after alliding with a shut-in natural gas pipeline. Natural gas condensate is currently discharging from the pipeline and burning off in the fire. No injuries reported - all crew accounted for.”

    NOAA approximate incident area; not a vessel track (28.458°, -96.383°)

    NOAA Office of Response and Restoration

  2. USCG Press release and video link

    Source report excerpt: “News Release U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Public Affairs Detachment Texas Contact: 8th District Public Affairs Detachment Texas Office: (361) 438-0176 PA Detachment Texas online newsroom Update: Unified Command responds to gas pipeline fire near Port O'Connor, Texas Editors' Note: Click on image to download high resolution video. CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Unified Command has been established and is continuing to respond to a gas pipeline fire near Port O'Connor, Texas, Wednesday morning. The Coast Guard is working closely with the Texas General Land Office and RLB Contracting, Inc. to extinguish the fire on the barge and move the dredge and accompanying barges away from the ship channel. […]”

    NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive

  3. USCG press release update

    Source report excerpt: “Update 2: Unified Command responds to gas pipeline fire near Port O'Connor, Texas CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Unified Command consisting of Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office and RLB Contracting Inc., continues to respond to a gas pipeline fire near Port O'Connor, Texas, Wednesday. Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders received a mayday Tuesday evening from the captain of the dredging barge Jonathon King Boyd, who reported the vessel was on fire after hitting a gas pipeline while conducting dredging operations. Genesis Energy owns the pipeline. The fire onboard the dredging barge is reported to be extinguished and will be closely monitored for the potential of […]”

    NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive

  4. USCG Press Release

    Source report excerpt: “CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Unified Command consisting of Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office and RLB Contracting Inc., continues to respond to a gas pipeline fire near Port O'Connor, Texas, Wednesday. Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders received a mayday Tuesday evening from the captain of the dredging barge Jonathon King Boyd, who reported the vessel was on fire after hitting a gas pipeline while conducting dredging operations. Genesis Energy owns the pipeline. T&T Marine Salvage personnel confirmed the fire onboard the Jonathon King Boyd is extinguished and are reviewing salvage plans to transit the dredging barge to Port Lavaca for removal of fuel and to […]”

    NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive
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Details in the record

Source record
NOAA IncidentNews 9705[1]
Dated source updates
3[2][3][4]

Reading this account

Automatically assembled from NOAA's incident record and substantive Public Affairs or Situation Update posts. Dates are NOAA posting dates, which can differ from when events happened or original reports were published. Excerpts retain the source's wording and uncertainty. This account does not independently establish the cause, current outcome or safety of the area. NOAA coverage is selective; missing updates do not mean nothing happened. The map shows one approximate incident area, not a vessel track.

These are excerpts from the source, not independently verified conclusions. Publication order can differ from the sequence of events. Follow the source links for the complete reports.

Original sources

Timeline updated 8 Sept 2026. New reports and changes to this NOAA incident are incorporated automatically; this is not a live incident feed.

  1. 1.Dredge Barge Fire, Port O' Connor, Matagorda Bay TX; TX 77979, USA ↗NOAA Office of Response and Restoration · 18 Apr 2018
  2. 2.USCG Press release and video link ↗NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive · 18 Apr 2018
  3. 3.USCG press release update ↗NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive · 18 Apr 2018
  4. 4.USCG Press Release ↗NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive · 19 Apr 2018

Related records in our archive

Original source text, preserved separately from this account.

NOAAORR-9705 NOAA response record
Dredge Barge Fire, Port O' Connor, Matagorda Bay TX; TX 77979, USA.
TX 77979, USA.
1. On April 18, 2018, the USCG Sector Corpus Christie contacted the NOAA RRO regarding a dredge barge that had caught fire after alliding with a shut-in natural gas pipeline. Natural gas condensate is currently discharging from the pipeline and burning off in the fire. No injuries reported - all crew accounted for.
2. THREAT: OIL. COMMODITY: OIL - MARINE DIESEL. MAXIMUM POTENTIAL RELEASE: 18000 GALLONS.
3. POSITION 28.458N 096.383W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 9705: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/9705
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