May 26 (UPI) -- One person died and three were injured in an oil tank explosion and fire in Mead, Colo., the Weld County Sheriff's Office reported.
The fire occurred at an Anadarko Petroleum Corp. battery, the term given to silo-like oil storage containers, about 40 miles north of Denver. The sheriff's office said workers were doing maintenance on the battery on Thursday afternoon, sparking the fire, although the cause has not yet been determined. Witnesses said the fire preceded an explosion, followed by thick black smoke visible for miles. Some witnesses added they could feel the explosion from 1 mile away.
When emergency personnel reached the site, the "oil tank battery was fully engulfed in flames," a statement from the sheriff's office said.
None of the workers has been identified. The worker who died was discovered when deputies and fire fighters combed the area. Mountain View Fire Battalion Chief Roger Rademacher said one person was seriously injured, and another had moderate injuries. Both were hospitalized.
The site of the fire is 4 miles from the town of Firestone, where a home exploded and killed two family members and left a third badly burned April 17. Anadarko Petroleum is under investigation for owning a gas well linked to the Firestone explosion.
