14 DAY TRIAL // It was about a year ago that Google’s mysterious barges were setting people’s curiosity alight. Now, they’ve been dismantled after being deemed a fire hazard.
The Wall Street Journal reports that new documents reveal that the barges, which were sent to the scrapheap back in August, were nixed due to various safety hazards.
The 250-foot (75-meter) barges, which contained over 60 shipping containers organized in four-storey buildings, had cost Google some $4 million (€3.2 million). After some speculation, Google admitted that the barges were being explored as an interactive space where people could learn about new technology.
When the barges went missing, it was believed that the costs were what got Google to cut the project, which included not only the construction, but also the mooring. With as deep as Google’s pockets go, however, many wondered what the real reasons were.
Safety hazards left and right
It seems that the Coast Guard raised fire safety concerns early on, which went unresolved. The fact that the vessels would have carried some 5,000 gallons of fuel on the main deck and a substantial amount of combustible material on board didn’t sit well with the authorities.
The Coast Guard inspector also said that additional safety measures would be needed if people were forced to jump overboard in case of a fire, for instance. The safety of visitors with disabilities was also questioned, despite assurances that no more than 150 people would be on board at any time.
In fact, Robert Gauvin, the Coast Guard’s acting chief of commercial vessel compliance, said that he was unaware of any plans of Google’s to limit the number of passengers. “While I understand there is a sense of urgency, I am concerned that significant work has already been performed without full consent of the Coast Guard,” he noted.
It seems like the vessel’s design didn’t incorporate fire safety features that are typically required.
Google started building the barges back in 2011 and wanted to use them as floating retail stores. A year later, the company started to seek approval from the Coast Guard, the National Park Service and an agency for construction, mooring and safety of the barges.
Despite all the planning, the design flaws and the fact that they didn’t fix issues regarding the fire hazard have led to Google having to let go of the project and send the barges to be disbanded for scrap metal.