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Rockport Tank Fire Sparked by Lightning

Posted: Jul 18, 2012 6:53 PM by Andy Liscano
Updated: Jul 18, 2012 6:59 PM

Lightning Strike Blamed for Oil Tank Fire

ROCKPORT, Texas - A lightning strike is believed to be what caused a tank fire on FM 1781 about a mile and a half north of Rockport near the Aransas County Airport.

It happened around 11:20 this morning on property owned by Derrick Construction.

We're told lightning struck one tank containing a minimal amount of petroleum, and that explosion set fire to 2 other fiberglass tanks containing salt water.

Fulton Volunteer Fire Chief Rickey Mc Lester also told us none of the oil leaked into nearby Copano Bay.

Fire crews from Rockport, Fulton, Ingleside, Aransas Pass, and Lamar used flame-retardant foam to put out the fire in an in hour and a half.

Tammie Shelton was working at nearby Camp Aranzazu when it happened. "I saw the lightning. I heard the kaboom! I saw the flames come up instantly right at the same time," she said.

No one was on the property at the time and no one was injured. A nearby house was not damaged either.

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