Gas storage tank burns in Lake County

A large gas storage tank caught fire at Westgate Petroleum in Lake County shortly before 9 a.m. Sunday morning, threatening other nearby fuel storage tanks and requiring a large, speedy response from local fire agencies.

“It could have been catastrophic,” said Bob Ray, Lakeport fire captain.

The blaze was reported around 8:50 a.m. at Highway 29 and Highland Springs Road between Kelseyville and Lakeport.

Based on a preliminary investigation, it appears to have started as someone was filling the vessel, which Ray estimated holds between 12,000 to 15,000 gallons of unleaded gas. Somehow the tank was over-filled, causing gas to pour out an overflow valve that is only supposed to handle fumes, not liquids.

Normally, a small flame burns off the vapors leaving the tank, but as the gas poured through it caught on fire “like a torch” and spread to the outside of the tank, Ray said.

The hot flames threatened the four other storage tanks of equal size that were close by. Those tanks hold kerosene and diesel.

Lakeport Fire called in help from Kelseyville, Cal Fire, North Shore and Lake County fire departments, he said. Mainly, they needed foam. Once the foam arrived, it took only about ten minutes to knock down the flames, Ray said. That was around 10:10 a.m.

Fire crews remained until about noon to make sure the tanks had cooled.

Ray estimated that at least two tanks were seriously damaged and will have to be replaced.

You can reach Staff Writer Jamie Hansen at 521-5205 or jamie.hansen@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jamiehansen.