An oil storage tank near Kersey caught on fire this morning, injuring one man, who was flown by helicopter to a hospital, officials say.
The fire was reported at 8:30 a.m. near County Roads 51 and 54, said Margie Martinez, Weld County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman.
She said the man was flown to Northern Colorado Medical Center in Greeley with burns.
Three area fire departments responded, putting the fire out in about 20 minutes, said Dale Lyman, spokesman for Union Colony Fire Rescue Authority of Weld County.
Workers were pumping liquids into a well to make it more productive when a pump caught on fire, Lyman said. A flash fire or explosion spread the fire to an oil storage tank, he said.
“It was pretty spectacular for 20 minutes,” he said.
Firefighters used foam to extinguish the blaze, Lyman said.
Lyman said he did not know the condition of the burned worker.
Staff writer Kirk Mitchell can be reached at 303-954-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com.
