Lightning Strike Causes Oil Tank Fire on Highway 3

Black smoke could be seen rising just east of Highway 3, about a mile south of Benton High School, this morning.

According to the Bossier Sheriff's Office, a call came in just before 6AM about a fire that was sparked by lightning striking a tank battery. Haz-Mat personnel report that the fire affected three tanks. Two of them were 300-barrel fiberglass salt water tanks, which were destroyed. The other tank was a 210-barrel steel crude oil tank.

Personnel from the Bossier Sheriff's Office Haz-Mat, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and Benton Fire District #4 were all on scene. There was no other property damage, all materials were contained and no one was injured.

The destroyed tanks are at RC Adkins Site #8 Tank Battery, located just off of Hwy. 3 near Festervan Farms. The site is owned by Keva Energy of Kingwood, Texas.