An apparent lightning strike blew up part of an oil tank battery east of Centralia Tuesday morning.
Kell Fire Chief Lonnie McDaneld says one of four tanks at the battery on Phelps Road between Meyers and Medlin Road in rural Centralia was blown about 50 yards away in an explosion after the lightning hit. Another tank filled mostly with water with a small amount of oil on the top had a hole burned through the top. When firemen arrived there was a small fire in the vapor on top of the tank. McDaneld says they were able to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher.
The tank battery is owned by Jack Morton of Kell.
The Kell Fire Department didn’t know what type of situation they were being called when the first alarm came in as an explosion at 6:50 am. Once the situation was accessed, Salem and Centralia Fire Protection Districts, who were called for mutual aid, were not called to the scene.
