Published May 03, 2016
Investigators say lightning has sparked a fuel tank explosion that left a crater 40 feet wide at an Ohio gas station.
The blast and fire Monday evening prompted a temporary evacuation near the Gas Depot in Fairfield, about 15 miles north of Cincinnati. People nearby described seeing a flash of lightning and then a fireball higher than the trees.
The explosion occurred in one of three underground tanks at the property. WLWT-TV reports two customers were at the station, but no injuries were reported.
Lingering vapors and the possibility that they could ignite caused concern. WCPO-TV reports that workers were expected Tuesday to assess the environmental effects and start cleanup work.
Authorities indicated the remaining tanks might be dug up to determine whether they are compromised.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/lightning-blamed-for-fuel-tank-explosion-at-ohio-gas-station