By Dan Verbeck
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-714977.mp3
Kansas City, MO – A blaze at a fuel storage tank in Kansas City Kansas continues to burn. Officials say lightning from a line of strong thunderstorms struck the tank Wednesday evening, setting off a spectacular fire at Magellan Midstream Partners that could be seen for miles. Dan Verbeck has this report.
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The last time there was a fire and explosions this size, this was owned by Phillips Petroleum Company some 25 years ago. At that time a light plane, crashed into a tank. This time it was in the midst of a thunderstorm. At a trucking company guard post on the fringe of this complex, Dell Ray couldn't see or hear much except thunder at first. Then he could see:
Dell Ray: You had fireball probably equivalent to probably about a 20 story building coming straight out.
Dan Verbeck: That high?
Dell Ray: Oh, yeah, it was high.
The environmental clean-up job is stunning. A private contractor has it and is at work now, grateful that dike's contained spillage.