LIGHTNING BELIEVED TO CAUSE TANK FIRE IN WASHINGTON CO.

  

Numerous Washington County residents reported seeing billowing black smoke Sunday afternoon, which was the result of burning saltwater tanks.

Authorities were alerted shortly after 12:15 p.m. to a grass fire, during heavy rains.  They responded to Janner Kuecker Lane, north of FM 390, where a pair of saltwater tanks onsite were on fire.

According to Emergency Coordinator Bryan Ruemke, authorities contacted the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Texas Railroad Commission, as there was some runoff from the site.  The Railroad Commission sent out a representative, and the case was turned over to them.

Ruemke said the operator of the site was Key Operating and Equipment, Inc., who sent out a representative to shut everything down at the site.

According to Ruemke, the Prairie Hill and Gay Hill Volunteer Fire Departments were unable to access the site.  The road going to the site passes through a low water crossing, and the creek was too high for firefighters to make location.

Authorities deemed the fires to not be a threat to anything aside from the actual equipment, so they monitored the scene and let them burn out.

According to Ruemke, the fires burned out around 4:45 p.m.  The tanks were believed to have been struck by lightning from Sunday’s storm.