Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Siobhan Fenton

Jim Beam explosion: Lightning strikes whiskey factory, making rivers flow with fire and alcohol

The perfect combination of alcohol, water and wind created firenados spiralling upwards (The Weather Channel)

Lightning has struck a whiskey factory, sparking a firenado of flaming alcohol to be sucked up into the sky.

The Kentucky warehouse, which produces Jim Beam bourbon, was battered by lightning, heavy rain and strong winds simultaneously. AOL reports that the combination of all three meant that water laced with alcohol was whipped into a funnel- sparking the fire which tore through the factory.

JimBeamFire.jpg The fire engulfed the Kentucky factory It is believed that 800,000 gallons of alcohol spilled into a retention pond, causing the factory to be engulfed in a fire ball.

JimBeamFire2.jpg The perfect combination of alcohol, water and wind created firenados spiralling upwards Fortunately, the building was situated close to a creek, meaning that the fire was eventually extinguished.  Not one was injured in the blaze.

JimBeam3.jpg The flames gathered on the surface of a nearby creek However, the creek became contaminated and a number of fish were killed. The Jim Beam company has paid state authorities nearly $27,000 in clean-up costs.

Read more
Budweiser brewery to can water instead of beer to help flood victims
Simpsons Duff Beer goes on sale

The brand is one of the most popular bourbon whiskeys in the world. It has annual sales of approximately $2.5 billion and has been trading since the eighteenth century.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.