A fire that broke out at a Jim Beam warehouse in Kentucky, destroying 45,000 barrels of bourbon, was still burning on Friday with fears that nearby fish could be poisoned.
Officials say their best option is to allow the blaze to burn out on its own, fearing that putting it out with water could risk poisoning fish.
Now oxygen is being pumped into nearby waters to stop fish from dying.
The fire which destroyed two Jim Beam warehouse in Versailles, Kentucky, broke out Tuesday night with 40 firefighters from 5 counties battling the blaze.
Woodford County Emergency Management chief Drew Chandler said the warehouses are “massive about the same area as a football field and six or seven stories high”, according to CNN.
8+ hours later, the fire continues to burn at this Jim Beam property in Woodford County. Emergency Management officials tell me they expect it to last for several more hours. @LEX18News pic.twitter.com/RHqJrQ36xd
— Alex Valverde (@AlexValverdeTV) July 3, 2019
The fire broke out in one warehouse, causing it to collapse, but the blaze at the second warehouse was brought under control.
Officials from the emergency management team in Kentucky’s Woodford County now say their best option may be to let the fire burn itself out.
‘Starting to see fish kill’
Dousing the flames with water would most likely wash the bourbon into local water systems, and eventually the Kentucky River, the Associated Press reported.
John Mura, from Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, said bourbon barrels were being allowed to burn off on purpose to prevent waterways being polluted.
“We’re starting to see fish kill, and we think that it’s very likely to get worse,” he said, according to Insider.
No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is yet to be determined although one possibility is lightning strike.
[arve url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiwdBTWHZPs” /]
We hope this fire can be put out while harming as little marine life as possible! SHARE this story.
