Corbin explosion traced to old fuel tank

An explosion that was felt and heard throughout the Corbin area Monday was caused by a cutting torch being used to scrap a fuel tank at Three Rivers Cutting off of 19th Street.

West Knox Fire Chief Daryl Baker said firefighters were paged out about 10 a.m. in response to multiple calls from residents that had heard or felt the explosion.

“It shook my house,” said Baker, who lives off of Ohler Road.

Firefighters were initially dispatched to a home on Moore Hill because one the residents that called believed the explosion had occurred under her house.

As more calls came in, firefighters realized that was not the source and began searching the area.

“We were driving up and down through the area trying to find where the explosion had come from,” Baker said.

About 15 minutes later, firefighters finally tracked it down to the former U.S. Steel facility next to CSX.

Baker said two men were using the torch to dismantle a 3,500-gallon fuel tank for scrap.

Fuel left in the tank was giving off vapors.

“It was heated to a point that the vapors had nowhere to go,” Baker said. “It wasn’t really a light the fuel on fire type of deal.”

Baker said despite the explosion, the tank is still in one piece. There was no damage to another tank nearby or anything else in the area.

“There was no smoke no fire, no nothing,” Baker said.

Baker said the fire marshal was notified and the individuals who had been cutting on the tank were informed there are proper procedures to follow when performing this type of work, including filling the tank with a non-flammable substance to avoid these types of incidents.

“We told them they were done until they gave a written procedure on how they were going to finish the tank,” Baker said, noting that it is more involved than hand writing something on a piece of paper.

The company is operating at the former U.S. Steel facility that is now owned by Prestige Rail.

Baker said Prestige Rail officials said they had noting to do with Three Rivers Cutting beyond leasing the property.