NEW CASTLE, Del. (AP) — A massive fire broke out Tuesday morning on a barge carrying huge piles of scrap metal on the Delaware Bay.

The U.S. Coast Guard responded after 8 a.m. to reports of the fire and dispatched a helicopter and two boats in the water, Petty Officer First Class Matthew West said. Local fire departments also responded. A tugboat was moving the unmanned barge at the time of the fire, West said, adding there were no injuries.

Ship traffic also was not impacted by the fire that was still burning several hours later, he said. The barge appeared to be standing still as boats on both sides of it fired water cannons into the piles of burning metal. Smoke billowed from several fires aboard the boat.

West said the cause of the fire remained under investigation.

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