After being towed to the Rock Dump after she was raised from the Gastineau Channel in late February, demolition of the tug Challenger began on Monday with the removal of her pilot house. The demolition work is being performed by Southeast Underwater Services with the oversight of Global Diving and Salvage, Inc.

Recovery of 437 gallons of petroleum product, 1,540 gallons of oily water, 550 pounds of paint, fire extinguishers, waste oil, polyester resin and grease, a refrigerator and a freezer, 2,467 pounds of lead acid batteries, and 2,893 pounds of materials containing asbestos have been removed since the vessel’s sinking in September of last year, the Coast Guard reported on Monday.

According to the Coast Guard in Juneau, “Petroleum products have been properly disposed of by Southeast Alaska Lighterage.  Household hazardous materials, paint, and batteries were brought to an approved City & Borough of Juneau hazardous material facility for disposal.  Recyclable metals are being delivered to Skookum Sales & Recycling.  All remaining materials will be brought to the Juneau landfill.”

“We remain vigilant as we move into the final phase of this operation,” said Bob Mattson, state on scene coordinator said in the Coast Guard news release. “A 24 hour security watch of the tug has been established so that we can continue to ensure the safety and welfare of response personnel as well as the local community and environment.”

Built for the war effort in 1944, then sold to multiple private owners through the years, the 96-foot tug came to Juneau in 2002 and was a floating music school until it was sold to R.D. Robinson. From that time, it lay at anchor in the channel before sinking there in mid-September.

Demolition of the old vessel is expected to go on around the clock throughout the week.

Related story: Tug Boat “Challenger” Raised and Moved from Gastineau Channel [xyz-ihs snippet=”Adsense-responsive”]

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