A strong scent of whiskey hung in the air as firefighters in Kentucky worked to put out a massive fire that broke out at a Jim Beam warehouse.
The fire broke out at the Woodford County warehouse around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, and firefighters were still working to extinguish the blaze more than 12 hours later. Although the cause of the fire is not yet known, it might have been caused by lightning according to officials.
The smell of bourbon fills the air near the fire at a Jim Beam bourbon warehouse in Woodford County. pic.twitter.com/NMmsZt3feG
— Ryan C. Hermens (@ryanhermens) July 3, 2019
The fire initially broke out at one warehouse, but then spread to another, consuming 45,000 barrels of whiskey. Local media reported that bourbon runoff had leaked into a nearby creek and the Kentucky River.
A single barrel of bourbon can produce between 150 and 200 750 milliliter bottles. If all of the barrels contained the whiskey, 6 million potential bottles of the booze could be at risk.
Bourbon Warehouse Fire in Woodford County. Fire crews have been out here since 11:30 last night. Crews say there was 45,000 barrels in the warehouse. @ABC36News pic.twitter.com/D6LN8V0KeB
— Alexus Larson (@AlexusLarsonTV) July 3, 2019
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW: Woodford County Emergency Management and several fire crews are battling a fire at a bourbon warehouse facility in Woodford County.
Crews tell me two barrel warehouses are fully engulfed in flames near the Jim Beam aging facility. pic.twitter.com/gwZy8wepxr
— Travis Harmon-Smith (@tmhsmithTV) July 3, 2019
