BARGE RAMS CASINO BOARDING RAMP

CARUTHERSVILLE -- A runaway barge struck the patron boarding ramp of Casino Aztar riverboat Sunday night.

No one was on the ramp and there were no injuries, but the loading ramp was damaged. Patrons aboard the "City of Caruthersville" riverboat, which houses the gambling casino, had to exit by an employee boarding ramp.

"There was no damage to the portion of Aztar's gaming operation containing the patrons," said Mel Fisher of the Missouri Gaming Commission. "We were fortunate that the runaway barge struck the ramp of the docked casino as opposed to a cruising vessel."

Fisher said that had the barge struck a cruising boat, the swiftness of the current could have resulted in a disaster.

One of the reasons that Aztar was granted continuous docking status was because of such hazards, he said.

The Missouri Gaming Commission said the barge was owned by Caruthersville Marine Service. It was half filled with gravel when it broke loose from its mooring, the commission said.

The barge struck the ramp a few minutes after the 10-p.m. boarding time, the commission said.