An evacuation order was enacted early on Saturday morning after an estimated 11,000 gallons of hydrochloric acid leaked from the ruptured rail car.  Hydrochloric acid can cause respiratory problems and irritation to the skin and eyes.  Cleanup crews used lime to neutralize the chemical, while contractors for the rail company excavated the acid for disposal.  According to the state Department of Environmental Quality, the railroad company intends to dig out and dispose of the resultant material.  According to state police, over half of the 11,000 gallons of acid has been removed so far.

The derailment and spill affected a large scope of Louisiana’s Lafayette Parish area and, following the derailment, approximately 3,000 residents and businesses in northwest Lafayette—all those within a one-mile perimeter of the derailment—were displaced.  The train was headed to Lake Charles, near Texas and about 75 miles west of Lafayette.  The derailment affected not only train workers and local residents, but also many area businesses, forcing such businesses to close down during and following the derailment and chemical spill.  A portion of the area remains shut down and those operating within 1,000 feet of the derailment are still under evacuation orders.  It is believed no residents are involved in the smaller perimeter area.

The derailment occurred at the Ambassador Caffery Parkway overpass, leading to a number of major road closures, including the Ambassador Caffery, Cameron, Bertrand, and Interstate 10.  The Ambassador Caffery overpass remains closed at the railroad-crossing site.  Because some of the rail cars may have hit the underside of the overpass, the state Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) must clear its use and approve is reopening.  Meanwhile, the DOTD cannot work in the area until the entire chemical cleanup is completed and the final 1,000-yard safety zone has been dissolved.  That portion of the work is expected to take a couple of more days.

The widespread chemical release emitted hazardous and harmful chemicals and toxins, which can cause both medical problems and property damage.  Five people, including two railroad workers, were sent to a hospital and treated after complaining of skin and eye irritation, state police said.  Also, a nursing home was forced to evacuate its 161 residents with 35 residents taken to local hospitals because their frail and weakened conditions did not enable their movement to other facilities.

A variety of families stayed at the Red Cross shelter established at the Carencro High School.  This shelter was dismantled by 9:00 PM on Saturday when other accommodations were arranged by the rail company for the displaced at area hotels.

Also, an Amtrak Sunset Limited heading from Los Angeles was detoured and arrived about one and a-half hours late in New Orleans.  A number of passengers bound for Lafayette and other Louisiana stops were bused out of Houston.

• When stepping onto an escalator, ensure the step is flat and fully extended.
• Do not ride an escalator with untied shoes.
• On escalators, always face forward, hold the handrail, stand in the center of the step, do not lean on the side, and step off at the end of the ride.
• Always hold children's hands on escalators; do not permit children to sit or play on the steps.
• Do not bring children onto escalators in strollers, walkers, or carts.
• Avoid the sides of escalator steps where entrapment can occur.
• Know where the emergency escalator shutoff buttons are.
• Before entering an elevator, ensure it's there and flush with the floor.

If the industry is as safe as it says, why are parks reticent about publishing injury data and attempt to seal court records and make it a condition of settlement that accident victims not discuss their cases?  The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)-the federal agency regulating traveling carnival rides-publishes mobile and fixed-site ride injury data; however, statistics are provided in raw form, with an algorithm.  Even experts are challenged with the information.  In its last report on ride injuries, the CPSC estimated that in 2004, 2,500 people were injured on traveling carnival rides and 3,400 on fixed-site park rides. The industry disputes this, saying its self-reported numbers for park injuries are far less.  Court documents on a Disney case pointed to more than 2,600 injuries on five rides from 1999 to 2001.

In December 2005, nine-year old Fatima Cervantes and her eight-year old brother boarded a Sizzler ride at an Austin carnival.  Fatima slipped beneath the lap bar and was thrown onto the platform where a metal arm crushed her head.  Since 1997, Sizzlers have been involved in at least four other deaths and dozens of injuries in the U. S.  In June, a group of 25 state inspection chiefs requested the ride's manufacturer, Wisdom Industries, take immediate measures to prevent unacceptable levels of ejection risk.  The CPSC has not required manufacturers to make improvements in eight years.

Although theme parks tend to have better safety records than traveling carnivals, there are injuries and deaths.  The family of Kaitlyn Lassiter, the girl whose feet were severed on the Tower of Power ride at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, is suing Six Flags.  Timothy Fan was killed on Kings Dominion's Shockwave; however, many feel the boy did not follow park instructions and reports suggest he tried to intentionally circumvent the ride's safety measures.  There is emerging data linking brain hematomas to rides and there have been cases against Disney alleging people suffered brain injuries on their rides. Research has prompted calls for G-force limits, yet the industry disputes the findings, saying its experts say the rides do not cause these injuries.

Some feel restraint ruins rides.  Some argue there is no tangible data to measure the prevalence of accidents because there is no objective, comprehensive statistical source.  Others maintain common sense is underrated, for instance, little children on too-big rides; allowing youngsters in wave pools.  And some argue additional safeguards are in order, for example, a life preserver requirement for wave pools.  U. S. regulatory history shows a competent, objective layer of oversight is more efficient than self-policing.

Interestingly, the president for the Outdoor Amusement Business Association feels the public should look at the risk-reward, while there are those seeking more regulation, there must be some return on investment.  He states there should be less taxing and government oversight, but-oddly-wants more federal support to bring in more traffic.  Essentially, he wants the U.S. taxpayer to spend more money to increase profits, but opposes effective safety enforcement.

According to The New York Times, 911 operators in New York City began receiving accident reports at 3:30 pm yesterday that said a man was hit by debris from The New York Times Building at West 40th Street and Eighth Avenue. The police described the man as in his 30s and said he was treated for a cut above an eye by emergency medical workers.  A spokesperson for the newspaper said that glass did fall from a window of the 17th floor of The New York Times Building, but the newspaper was unable to confirm if that is what, in fact, hit the man.

The New York City Department of Buildings said it would be issuing safety violations to the owner of The New York Times Building because inspectors had determined that an exterior glass panel fell from the 52-story tower, causing minor injuries to a pedestrian.  The 2nd through the 28th floors of the New York Times Building are owned by the newspaper, while Forest City Ratner owns the floors above that.  The ground floor is owned by both companies.

Elsewhere in New York City, a second pedestrian was injured by falling debris from a building at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, at 55th Street.   The severity of the pedestrian's injuries is not known, and emergency response personnel at the scene would not confirm if the victim was struck by glass.   However, a tenant from the building told The New York Times that a public address announcement about 4 p.m. reported that firefighters had arrived "because a window has come out on the 55th side."

Yesterday, New York City was hammered by winds gusting above 40 mph, as a severe winter storm tracked a deadly path from the Midwest to Maine.  The storm was blamed for at least 16 deaths, and left large sections of the Northeast and Midwest without power.  All of the New York City area's three major airports reported delays in excess of 2 hours due to the dangerous winds.

Wind was also blamed for the collapse of a wall at a construction site in Brooklyn. And in Passaic, New Jersey, a 59-year-old man was pinned beneath a tree that was uprooted by the gusting wind. Fortunately, neighbors were able to pull him out, but he suffered a dislocated shoulder and cuts.  Reports also said that glass had fallen from a building in Passaic, but no one was injured in that incident.

The holidays are a time for friends, family, giving and sharing.  Unfortunately, it's also the time for fires - and not the cozy kind one finds in the fireplace.  Christmas trees are a mainstay in many homes over the holidays.  And while they are beautiful, the CPSC says Christmas trees can easily become fire traps.  According to the Commission, dried out Christmas trees start more than 200 fires each year - some of which are fatal. But there are a few things consumers can do to avoid a Christmas tree tragedy during the holiday season.  Purchasers of artificial trees should only consider products that are labeled "fire resistant".  The freshest trees are the least combustible, so live Christmas trees should have green needles that are difficult to pull from branches, don't break when bent and don't fall off if the tree is tapped on the ground.  The Christmas tree's bottom should be sticky with resin.  All Christmas trees - live or artificial - should be kept away from fireplaces, radiators and high traffic areas in the home.

When decorating a Christmas tree, use only noncombustible or flame retardant materials.   Wear gloves when decorating with spun glass made to resemble angle hair, and follow directions when using artificial snow sprays as they can irritate lungs.   Families with young children should avoid decorating with ornaments that have small removable parts  that could be a choking hazard, and they should also avoid artificial icicles that are made with lead.

The CPSC says candle related incidents are involved in 14,000 fires and 170 deaths every year. Avoid candle fires by keeping them away from other decorations and furniture, children and pets.   And always use nonflammable candle holders.

Holiday lights, while adding to a festive Christmas atmosphere, can also be a source of house fires.  Opt for newer lights that have been tested by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as the Underwriters Laboratory (UL).  Christmas lights should have thick wiring, and should be devoid of broken or cracked sockets, loose connections and frayed or bared wires.  If lights are going to be used outdoors, they should be marked as such.  Avoid extension cords unless they are specifically designed for lighting use.  Never use electric lights on a metallic Christmas tree, as this can pose an electrocution hazard.

Finally, while Santa likes stockings hung at the chimney, he asks that it be done with care.  A screen should be placed around the fireplace to keep sparks from coming into contact with decorations, furniture or other flammable items.  It is also not a good idea to burn wrapping paper or plastic materials in a fireplace.  And fire salts, which are used to produce colored flames, must kept away from children.   The CPSC says they contain heavy metals which can cause gastrointestinal problems and vomiting if eaten.

Holiday decorating accidents don't have to ruin anyone's fun this year.  By keeping in mind these simple tips, the season can be truly joyous for all.

Witnesses to the disaster said that the odor from the slick could be smelled for miles, and reported that a sticky muck was covering pets, possessions and emergency personnel.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has teams on the scene, and at least a third of the homes in Coffeyville and Independence, Kansas have been evacuated.

Oil spills like the one in Kansas can lead to horrible environmental consequences, cause devastating heath problems as well as huge property loss for residents.  They can devastate fish and wildlife populations for years, and can cause serious health problems in humans.  Just breathing petroleum vapors can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness and respiratory irritation.  Those involved in the cleanup of oil spills have reported skin and respiratory problems years later.  Prolonged exposure to contaminated soil or water can affect the nervous system, blood and kidneys.  Animals that have been exposed to high levels of petroleum products have been found to suffer from liver and kidney cancers.  There is evidence that workers in the petroleum industry have a higher chance of developing skin cancers and leukemia. 

Because the refinery is still largely under water, officials concede that they have not been able to ascertain exactly how much oil has escaped from the Coffeyville Refinery.  Initial estimates were as low as 1000 gallons early on, but officials now say at least 42,000 gallons have been let loose from the plant.  The Coffeyville Refinery processes around 108,000 barrels of crude oil each day, and has the capacity to store 2.7 million barrels of crude oil and refined products.

The spill, which was detected at 3:55 am Sunday, occurred when the company was attempting to shut down the plant and evacuate before the flood reached the refinery.  A pump apparently malfunctioned and allowed oil to continue flowing to the refinery’s main storage tank until it overflowed.  The problem went unnoticed for some time, and allowed a huge amount of oil to escape.  The town of Coffeyville, with a population of 11,000, has so far been hardest hit.  Town officials fear that if floodwaters do not recede soon, they will have to start pumping water back into the river basin, putting all area water supplies at risk.

Heavy rains have plagued the lower Midwest for 20 days now, causing widespread flooding throughout Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma.  So far, in Kansas alone 18 counties have been declared disaster areas due to the flooding. 

All passengers were evacuated from the Empress of the North by 7 a.m. and returned to Juneau.

One person was taken to a hospital for observation, a city employee said.

Passengers said they were jolted awake when the ship hit the rocks in a remote part of a southeast Alaska archipelago in the middle of night.

They were ordered to don lifejackets and gather in the ballroom, where a singer and piano player entertained them with songs including "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" as they waited for rescue.

Mary Zanis Crosby, 83, of Seattle, said that "the rumble was horrendous" when the ship ran aground, but that she was never frightened.

"I considered it an adventure although I'd have rather been doing something else," she said with a laugh.

The Empress of the North had 206 passengers and 75 crew members aboard when it sent out an emergency radio message at 2 a.m., the Coast Guard said.

When Coast Guard helicopters reached the area, the vessel was listing at the southern end of Icy Strait, about 50 miles southwest of Juneau, and it began taking on water, said Petty Officer Christopher McLaughlin at the Coast Guard base in Kodiak.

As the ship's pumps worked to remove the water, the passengers were transferred to other boats in the area and then to the ferry to be taken to Juneau.

The fishing vessel Evening Star was about five miles away, finishing a halibut trip, when its crew heard the mayday call.

"They were laying over pretty heavy to one side," Evening Star captain Blake Painter told CNN. He said his boat pulled alongside and took 33 passengers, while another fishing boat pulled up and took a few more.

A Coast Guard cutter and a few more boats arrived about an hour later, and all the passengers were taken off safely, he said.

It wasn't immediately clear why the ship ran aground, McLaughlin said. It was drizzling in Juneau but the seas were calm.

Chief Petty Officer Barry Lane said all passengers had been evacuated from the Empress of the North by 7 a.m., and the vessel, with 29 crew members aboard, was heading toward Juneau. There were no reports of injuries.

"The story is shaping up for the good," Lane said.

The Empress of the North had 281 passengers and crew members aboard when it sent out an emergency radio message at 12:35 a.m., the Coast Guard said.

When Coast Guard helicopters reached the area, the vessel was listing at the southern end of Icy Strait, about 15 miles southwest of Juneau, and it began taking on water, said Petty Officer Christopher D. McLaughlin at the Coast Guard base in Kodiak.

As the ship's pumps worked to remove the water, the passengers were transferred to fishing vessels and other cruise ships in the area. Those passengers and about 130 others who were taken aboard the Coast Guard cutter Liberty were to be transferred to the Alaska state ferry Columbia and taken to Juneau.

It wasn't immediately clear why the cruise ship ran around, McLaughlin said. It was drizzling in Juneau but the seas were relatively calm.

The Empress of the North is operated by Majestic America Line of Seattle. The ship has 112 staterooms, a three-story paddlewheel and galleries featuring Native American masks and Russian artwork, including Faberge eggs, according to its Web site.

Dan Miller, a spokesman for Majestic America, said the grounding occurred on the second day of a seven-day cruise.

The American-built ship is billed by the company as the only overnight paddlewheel vessel in use on Alaska cruises. It also is used on cruises on the Columbia River between Washington state and Oregon.

The 112-cabin Majestic America Line vessel, which spends much of its time operating on the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest, is the same one we wrote about a few weeks ago after it flunked a Centers for Disease Control health inspection a relatively rare occurrence in the cruise world.

Call it strike two for the riverboat-style ship. Or maybe strike three or four. As cruisecritic.com points out today, this isn't the first time the Empress has had navigation snafus. The vessel hit a sandbar in the Columbia River about a year ago, forcing an evacuation with similarities to the one today. And the ship also ran aground in 2003, its first year of operation.

As for today's accident, the U.S. Coast Guard reports that all of the ship's passengers were evacuated, uninjured, this morning after the Empress hit a rock in Icy Straights. Crew members stayed on board and sailed the vessel to Juneau, where it presumably will undergo repairs. No word yet on whether its majestic, three-story paddle wheel was damaged in the incident.

Empress of the North originally was built in 2002 for the America West Steamboat Company, which operated river boats in the West. The line later merged with the Delta Queen Steamboat Company, known for its historic riverboats in Middle America, and morphed into the Majestic America Line. When the Empress began seasonal service in Alaska's Inside Passage in 2003, it was the first sternwheeler to do so in more than a century.

Crews and volunteer boats assisted in the transfer of passengers to other vessels after it ran aground, according to an Associated Press story. No injuries were reported.

The vessel, carrying 281 passengers and crew, took on water and was listing 6 degrees at the southern end of Icy Strait when the Coast Guard responded, the Associated Press reported.

Within hours the Empress of the North was heading to Juneau under its own power with an "essential crew,'' according to a news release from Majestic America Line, the boat's operator.

The Empress of the North was most recently at the Port of Clarkston on April 17 where it is the largest of the cruise boats that call. It has been a regular in the spring and fall since it was introduced in 2003 and docked in Clarkston 22 times in 2006.

Clarkston is the western-most point on a journey of about a week that originates in Portland. "We are concerned for our customer,'' said Wanda Keefer, manager of the Port of Clarkston.

The boat spends the summer in Alaska where today's accident happened.

Safety and the comfort of its passengers are the highest priority, according to a news release issued by Majestic America today. "We are working closely with the Coast Guard to undertake a full investigation and assess the condition of the vessel.''

The news release didn't indicate how seriously the Empress was damaged and calls to the cruise line weren't immediately returned.

Today's trouble is the latest in a series of situations that have interrupted cruises, but caused no critical injuries.

The most recent was a little more than a year ago when the vessel ran aground on the Columbia River near Washougal, Wash.

About 180 passengers were evacuated from the boat after winds and currents apparently forced it into a sandbar. No one was hurt. It was freed about two days later by two tugs with tides working in their favor. About 20,000 gallons of diesel fuel were removed to make it lighter and it returned to Portland, Ore., under its own power.

Two incidents took place during the boat's first year cruising.

The bottom of the vessel scraped the top of a lock gate at Ice Harbor Dam near Pasco in October 2003, after the lock master had given the captain permission to proceed. The boat was only going one or two mph at the time and no one was injured.

The 190 passengers on the Empress of the North were removed from the boat and taken to hotels in the Tri-Cities area.

The Empress of the North passed a Coast Guard inspection and was cruising again within about a week.

Repairing the lock took more than a month and cost $63,000. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers used a temporary locking system to allow commercial vessels to pass during the work.

About a month later on Thanksgiving the Empress again encountered difficulties that its operator at the time, American West Steamboat Co., blamed on human error. The boat developed steering problems and collided with a bank about one mile downstream from The Dalles, Ore., and sustained minor damage.

The captain of the boat regained steering before the boat touched the bank, but it happened in a part of the river that's extremely narrow.

One passenger bruised a shoulder. A crew member fractured an elbow and another crew member suffered a minor injury. They were all treated and released from a local hospital.

The vessel didn't take on water and passengers resumed regular cruise activities.

Later operators of the Empress of the North said the accident pushed in the bow of the boat a couple of feet below the water line, but that the integrity of the boat wasn't compromised.

Still as a precaution, the operators canceled cruises in December 2003 awaiting more information about the cause of the accident.

"There is a breach in the hull. It is on the rocks," said Petty Officer Eric Chandler at the Coast Guard base in Kodiak.

The Empress of the North, carrying 281 passengers and a crew of 84, was listing 6 degrees after hitting Hanus Rock at the southern end of the strait, 49 miles west of Juneau, Coast Guard officials said.

The Coast Guard immediately dispatched two helicopters to the scene after receiving an emergency radio message at 12:35 a.m. Alaska Daylight Time from the ship, operated by Seattle-based Majestic America Line, Petty Officer Christopher D. McLaughlin said.

The 110-foot Coast Guard cutter Liberty, the Spirit of Columbia cruise ship, and several other private vessels were taking on passengers from the damaged Empress of the North.

"Many Good Samaritan boats on scene are taking off passengers," McLaughlin said. "The fishing vessels Evening Star and Willow were able to moor up to the cruise ship and 33 passengers transferred from the Empress of the North to the Evening Star and 12 passengers to the Willow."

By daybreak those remaining were being taken aboard the Spirit of Columbia, a smaller vessel operated by Cruise West of Seattle, McLaughlin said.

All of the passengers were to be returned to Juneau, said Ann Marie Ricard, a spokeswoman for Majestic America Line. The City of Juneau was preparing temporary emergency housing for any passengers requiring it, Chandler said.

There were no reports of injury, nor was there any immediate word on damage, and McLaughlin said the reason for the grounding was unclear.

Chandler said the vessel was taking on water. Still, he said, rescuers had some time to work. The Empress of the North has a double-hull design, making it safer and more able to withstand such an accident. And, he added, that with the tide on the way out, the vessel was not in any immediate danger of sinking.

"It's sitting on rocks," Chandler said.

The $50 million cruise ship is billed by Majestic America site as a "newly built" sternwheeler with a 24-hour bar and grill, a crew of 84, 112 staterooms for 223 passengers and gets most of its propulsion from a three-story paddlewheel.

Ricard said the Empress of the North was in the first day of a seven-day cruise of the Inside Passage when the accident happened.

She did not have any information on what caused the accident.

The ship, built by Nichols Bros. Boat Builders, is billed by the company as the only overnight sternwheeler vessel in use on Alaskan cruises. The vessel spends the winter carrying passengers along the Columbia, Snake and Willamette rivers. At least twice, it has run aground along the Columbia River, most recently in March 2006.

It began offering cruises in Alaska's Inside Passage in 2003, the first paddlewheel ship to do so in more than a century.

Just two weeks ago, the Empress of the North stopped in Seattle and took passengers for a cruise to Alaska, Ricard said.

Sunday, it took on passengers in Juneau for its Inside Passage cruise, which was to have wrapped up Saturday.

All of the ship's passengers arrived after 11 a.m. Alaska Daylight Time at the Auke Bay ferry dock, said Mike Chambers, a spokesman for the Alaska Marine Highway System, which operates the ferry.

The cruise ship, the Empress of the North, was carrying 206 passengers and 75 crew when it left Juneau on Saturday for a seven-day trip, said Dan Miller, a spokesman for Seattle-based Majestic America Line. The 223-guest ship is based in Portland and also offers trips along the Columbia and Snake Rivers.

A Coast Guard official said there were no reports of injuries or fuel spill or any pollution from the ship.

The Empress sent a distress signal at 12:35 a.m. Alaska Daylight Time after hitting the rocks, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Christopher McLaughlin. Sea conditions were calm at the time.

Numerous vessels came to the aid of the cruise ship and took passengers aboard.

"The fishing vessels Evening Star and Willow were able to moor up to the cruise ship and 33 passengers transferred from the Empress of the North to the Evening Star and 12 passengers to the Willow," McLaughlin said.

A Coast Guard fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter were dispatched. At about 3 a.m., the Coast Guard asked the Alaska state ferry service for help.

One of the largest vessels in the state ferry's fleet, the Columbia, was just west of Douglas Island en route to Juneau when it changed direction and headed for the Empress. The Columbia ferry, which can carry 499 passengers and 134 vehicles, stops in several ports including Bellingham, Ketchikan, Wrangell and Petersburg.

With 234 commuting passengers aboard, the Columbia arrived at Hanus Reef just before 5 a.m. and picked up 252 passengers and crew, Chambers said. That left 29 crew members aboard the Empress as it navigated on its own power back to Juneau's Auke Bay terminal.

Emergency authorities had buses on standby to transport the passengers to Centennial Hall Convention Center in downtown Juneau. The convention center was setting up a shelter for passengers, while Majestic America was making arrangements with hotels and airlines for getting the passengers back home.

The Coast Guard is trying to assess the damage, but because the ship has a double-hull design, it is in no danger of sinking and the bilge pumps are keeping up, said Petty Officer Eric Chandler at the Coast Guard base in Kodiak

"We're trying to figure out the best course of action," Chandler said. "We're still looking into the damage caused by the grounding."

The cruise can't continue because the boat is too damaged, Chandler said.

"We don't know if it was mechanical or an error in navigation," he said.

According to the company's Web site, the Empress of the North is a "newly built" sternwheeler with a 24-hour bar and grill, a crew of 84, 112 staterooms for 223 passengers and "a robust modern diesel propulsion system."

The American-built ship is billed by the company as the only overnight paddlewheel vessel in use on Alaskan cruises and also is used on cruises on the Columbia River between Washington state and Oregon.

Earlier this year, the company announced that the Empress was recognized as one of the top small cruise ships in the world, based on a readers poll by Conde Nast Traveler magazine.

The grounding of the cruise ship near Juneau is the fourth time the ship has hit something or run aground since it was built in 2002 at the Nichols Brothers shipyard on Whidbey Island.

The ship is one of six vessels in a fleet of river and coastal cruising ships.

In October of 2003, it hit a navigation lock at the Ice Harbor dam on the Snake River.

In November of 2003, it ran aground on the Oregon side of the Columbia River near The Dalles.

In March of 2006 it grounded on a sand bar in the Columbia near Washougal.

The Coast Guard is still investigating that grounding, but Lt. J.G. Nick Barrow, of the Portland station, said the ship apparently went aground on a reef as it was trying to pass a tug and barge in a narrow, twisted section of the river.

He also said there were communications issues between the tug and the cruise ship "which led each to believe they were in different parts of the river." He said the tug was near the middle of the river, so the Empress had to take evasive action and hit Ough Reef.

In its report, the Coast Guard said the Empress tried to slow down to let the tug and barge pass but was unable to slow enough to keep the vessel from hitting the reef.

In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the ship failed an inspection in February, and the agency is investigating what caused 26 passengers and seven crew members to get sick during a five-day Columbia River cruise in March.

Ambassadors International, the parent company of Majestic America, has been on a small-scale buying spree in the cruise business.

It acquired American West Steamboat Co., including Empress of the North and a sister ship, in January 2006. Three months later it bought Delta Queen Steamboat Co., which offers historical cruises on the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland and Arkansas rivers. The steamboat company had three ships, and Ambassadors quickly bought two more.

Then, in February 2007, it agreed to buy Seattle-based Windstar Cruises and its three small luxury cruise ships.

According to Ambassadors' regulatory filings, it acquired Empress of the North and its sister ship by paying its former owner $1, retiring debt of approximately $4.3 million and assuming responsibility for approximately $41.5 million in loans guaranteed by the U.S. Maritime Administration.