FAIRFIELD, Ohio – 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.
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