Saginaw River History - M/V/ Jupiter Explosion & Fire: September 16, 1990

I was able to capture these first three photos of Algoma Buffalo on September 6, 2024, just 10 days before the 34th anniversary of the M/V Jupiter explosion and fire. She was passing the spot which would forever tie her to the historical event which happened 34 years ago today. The M/V Jupiter was unloading gasoline at the Total Petroleum dock that day. The NTSB Report stated she was pulled away from faulty moorings by the suction of the passing freighter, Buffalo, then sailing for the American Steamship Company. Sparks from the parting wires of the fuel pumps ignited the gasoline causing the explosion,

I arrived at the scene on one of the initial fire trucks arriving that morning. I have included some photographs from the incident and a few photos of Jupiter entering the Saginaw River 20 plus years earlier, past ice fisherman near the Consumers Power Plant.

Saginaw River Passage - September 15, 2024

Northern Venture on the Saginaw River, arriving at the Wirt Sand & Stone Dock in Essexville to unload the first half of a split load. She later traveled to the upper river to finish unloading at the Burroughs North 1st Street Dock in Saginaw.

Saginaw River Passage - September 12, 2024: Algoma Intrepid

Algoma Intrepid unloading salt at the Sargent Dock in Zilwaukee. This is her second delivery to Sargent and third visit to the Saginaw River in the past six days. 

Saginaw River Passage - September 11, 2024: Sam Laud & North Dakota

Sam Laud inbound on the Saginaw Rive at the Liberty Bridge, assisted by the tug North Dakota, headed up to the Wirt Stone Dock in Saginaw to finish unloading. Sam Laud had just departed the Wirt Stone Dock in Bay City where she had already dropped a partial load.

Saginaw River Passage - September 6, 2024

Algoma Intrepid inbound on the Saginaw River to unload salt at the Sargent Dock in Zilwaukee. With recent mild winters, this was the first salt cargo delivered to Sargent in a few years. You can see how large the salt pad is and how much salt was left after last winter after two seasons with no deliveries and pulling from salt pile.  

Saginaw River Passage - September 6, 2024: Algoma Intrepid, Algoma Buffalo, & North Dakota

Fleetmates Algoma Intrepid and Algoma Buffalo inbound on the Saginaw River, with tug North Dakota assisting Algoma Intrepid.

Saginaw River Passage - September 6, 2024: Algoma Buffalo

Algoma Buffalo inbound on the Saginaw River, delivering a split cargo to the Wirt Stone Docks in Bay City and Saginaw. In one of the photos, you will see her fleetmate, Algoma Intrepid, inbound in front of her, approaching the Lake State Railway Bridge.