Road closed Gas explosion closes part of Rt. 8 in PA
By WKBN Staff
Published: August 27, 2015, 10:31 am
OIL CITY, Pa. (WKBN) –
Part of Route 8 in Barkeyville Borough in Venango County, is closed on both the northbound and southbound sides due to a gasoline storage tank explosion at the Heath Tank Farm, according to a release from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
According to the release, the closure extends from the intersection of Route 8 and Route 208, also known as Clintonville-Barkeyville Road, to the Route 308 exit, where the towns of Pearl and Bullion are located.
The road is expected to reopen at noon Thursday, according to PennDOT officials.
//------------------///
Oil tank catches fire near Route 8 in Venango County
August 27, 2015 1:55 PM
By Andrew Goldstein / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
An empty oil tank next to Route 8 in Venango County caught fire this morning, resulting in a quick response from fire departments in surrounding communities.
The storage tank owned by Heath Oil Company on Route 8 ignited around 8 a.m., county emergency officials said. The fire was put out by shortly before 10 a.m., but what sparked it was still under investigation.
Two workers were taken to the hospital, according to Andy Restauri, Heath president of operations.
He said one of them had some redness that may have been a first degree burn. That employee returned to work. Another employee went to the hospital for evaluation but was not injured, he said.
The explosion and fire forced the closure of the Interstate 80 east and west off ramps to Route 8 at Franklin-Oil City exit as well as a portion of Route 8.
The roads have since been reopened.
Mr. Restauri attributed the immediate response from local fire departments to stopping a situation that he said could have been much worse.
He said the company will continue its required safety reviews, but does not foresee any major policy changes.