Fire erupted at R.D. Holder Oil. Co, at 2219 Folk Ream Road, around 11 a.m. Thursday as workers at the company transferred a liquid fuel into a tanker.
About 50 different agencies needed about six hours to get the fire under control.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is attempting to determine any additional environmental damage, a task made difficult by the unsound structure that burned yesterday.
“There are still hot areas,” said Ohio EPA spokesperson Heather Lauer of the site. Agents “are wrapping up the work that needs to be done with the insurance company, and we don’t know what will happen.”
Currently, Veolia Environmental Services of Dayton is digging a trench by the unnamed tributary of Donnels Creek that was contaminated by oil yesterday to intercept any additional oil or oil run off. Lauer said Veolia did much of the oil clean up yesterday and set up booms in the waterway, which runs behind R.D. Holder.
The oil company supplies diesel fuel, heating oil, gasoline, Dragon racing fuel, bio-diesels and lubricants, although yesterday owner Bob Holder said they only had lubricants at the scene.
Fire department officials at the scene said there were several petroleum products and fuel oils at the scene, including 55 gallon drums of petroleum product.
Lauer said Ohio EPA agents on site are attempting to determine how much oil was loosed onto surrounding areas, as well as area water wells.
“The facility had a concrete pad and containment area, so not as much oil was lost as it would have been,” Lauer said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0371 or emason@coxohio.com.