Lawnmower Blamed in Texas Petroleum Company Fire
Investigators say a lawnmower and spilled fuel have been blamed for a fire that destroyed much of an East Texas petroleum company.
Hazardous materials crews were spending Tuesday at Pearce Petroleum Products in Mineola for cleanup and removal of contaminated soil.
Wood County Fire Marshal Randy Selman said an employee was replacing the fuel filter and line on a riding lawnmower Sunday night. Selman said some gasoline had spilled.
The worker was using ether to help start the mower when the engine backfired and the spilled fuel caught fire. The tank on a fuel delivery truck also ruptured and spilled.
Fire department crews put out the blaze in about an hour. Nobody was hurt.
Mineola is about 75 miles east of Dallas.
Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Popular Today
- Chubb CEO Greenberg: Some Financial Lines Underwriting Practices ‘Simply Dumb’
- Jury Awards $80M to 3 Former Zurich NA Employees for Wrongful Termination
- South Carolina Allows Out-of-State Adjusters After Massive Hail Storm
- Beyond the Claim: How Social Canvassing is Transforming Insurance Fraud Detection
Popular This Month
- Report: Vehicle Complexity, Labor ‘Reshaping’ Auto Insurance and Collision Repair
- California Chiropractor Sentenced to 54 Years for $150M Workers’ Comp Scheme
- Ship Owner in Bridge Collapse Seeks to Limit Its Liability
- Millions of Recalled Hyundai and Kia Vehicles, With Dangerous Defect, Remain on Road