Oregon Public Broadcasting

Coast Guard investigators are on the scene in Hood River, where a barge carrying gasoline ran aground around 3:30 Thursday morning. They're trying to figure out what happened. 

They're also inspecting the vessel, to determine if it poses an environmental risk.

At this point,  Coast Guard spokesman Lt. JG Ryan Harry says there is no evidence that the gasoline is leaking.

Lt. JG Ryan Harry: "The barge was a double-hulled barge, which means there was about a 30-inch void between the outer hull and the cargo tank. That's compliant with all the safety regulations we require. It's in place for exactly these sorts of incidents."

The barge was hauling about a million gallons of gasoline to Pasco, Washington. It was one in a chain of four, pulled by a tug. It's owned by Tidewater, a company that runs a large fleet serving offshore energy work.

No word yet on what might have caused the problem. Investigators will talk to the five crew members who were on board.

Tidewater officials were unavailable for comment this morning.