BEREA, Ky. (LEX 18) — After a fire that gutted a home in Berea, city officials are asking the state for help to make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else.
The family told officials that it blew up when they were adding newly bought kerosene to the heater. The fire injured a man and killed two family pets.
The city sent samples out of state for testing of kerosene from the family's can and from the tank at the gas station where they bought it. The results for both showed that the kerosene was not pure, Berea Mayor Bruce Fraley said.
"We don't know how it became contaminated but we do intend to do the best that we can do to find out, and we're willing to take the initiative to do that for the sake of public safety," Fraley said.
The tests measured the flash point on what was in the can and the tank, and both "were considered to be highly volatile, highly flammable," Fraley said.
What officials don't yet know is what the kerosene was contaminated with or how it became contaminated. Fraley said there's no evidence leading officials to believe the contamination was intentional and that both the gas station and the distributor are cooperating fully with the investigation.
For now, the kerosene pump at the gas station is shut off indefinitely.
Fraley said the city has done what it can to keep the public safe and is asking a state agency to step in.
In a letter to the state's Department of Housing, Buildings, and Construction, Fraley said that the tests indicated that the substance in the tank at the gas station was "highly volatile and definitely not pure kerosene."
"Consequently, we believe that the tank with bad kerosene must be emptied, cleaned, and certified safe before the pump can be reopened," Fraley wrote in the letter. "Our municipality does not have the authority to take these actions; therefore, we are referring this evidence and information to you for further action."
"We want the business owner to be able to reopen that pump where he can continue selling kerosene," Fraley told LEX 18 Thursday. "And we want to make sure there's no danger of this happening to anybody in the future."
LEX 18 Investigates is working to learn what agency, if any, is tasked with inspecting the retail sale of kerosene and what regulations are in place. We contacted three different state agencies, but none knew the answer.
