Getty Images
Fire hazard issues cropped up after serious questioning by the Coast Guards. This caused Google’s barges to get stopped amidst operations.
Fire hazard issues cropped up after serious questioning by the Coast Guards. This caused Google’s barges to get stopped amidst operations.
It was exactly 365 days ago when Google’s mystery barges caused consternation among the locals around San Francisco and Portland bay regions. However, amidst all the media hype and public clamor, these dark vessels supposedly came and went without a clue as to their real function.
According to the latest Freedom of Information Act, Google hasn’t totally declared its intentions with reference to the vessels. This occurred after the Coast Guards raised the question of fire hazards aboard the barges. The technology showrooms which were to be constructed got left in the lurch thanks to the stipulation by the Coast Guards.
The Coast Guard authorities had declared that the vessels would have thousands of gallons of petrol on board. And the inflammable paraphernalia would be there too. This of course presented a dangerous situation which could end up in a blast or two thereby being a hazard to human life in the vicinity. Much more needed to be done from Google’s side to ensure total safety standards aboard the crude structures.
Part of the problem was the confidentiality and privacy provisos that Google had some of the Coast Guards sign in the beginning. This atmosphere of hush-hush caused things to get derailed since it violated the FOIA. The very mystery surrounding the whole shebang led to its collapse and demise.
The inception of the barges began sometime three years back. They were to function as mobile selling points. But such was not to be in the end due to the rules, regulations and restrictions surrounding the area of their operation. About two years ago, the approval of the Coast Guards was sought by Google.
And a year ago, the Coast Guards responded by saying that the fire hazard issue had to be resolved before things were allowed to progress on the waterfront for the barges. The Coast Guards were not satisfied with the assurances given by the execs at Google. The result was a stalemate of sorts.
Google decided to court various government officers to come and visit the premises aboard the barges. But according to the Coast Guards, the structural-functional capacity of the barges does not include sufficient fire safety prevention measures.
While many people could easily jump overboard into the water were a fire to erupt on the barge, what about the handicapped? It is a legitimate question and besides this the mysterious nature of the barges is another thing that goes against their legitimate right to chart the bay area.
Source: WSJ
