Hardin County Sheriff issues warning after house fire breaks out from contaminated kerosene

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - The Hardin County Sheriff’s Office issued a warning to the public after kerosene purchased from a food mart was contaminated with gasoline.

The HCSO announced on Sunday an investigation is underway after a house fire broke out after the homeowner purchased kerosene that was actually gasoline.

“From the moment I saw him, over and over [he said], ‘I was filling it up and it exploded on me,’” Deputy Bryan Sallee said. “Well, exploded was not something you think of when you think of even kerosene being on fire.”

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The kerosene was purchased at a Three T Food Mart located at 5629 Leitchfield Road in Cecilia, Ky.

Sallee said any kerosene purchased from this location in the last month can be returned to the store for a full refund.

“We think this is an accident,” Sallee said. “We just... they’re trying to figure out from there in how this actually happened and maybe what we can do to prevent it from happening again.”

Sallee urged the community to not use any of this fuel, as the kerosene from the food mart is in the process of being tested.

“The tanks are underground at the gas station, so the underground tanks hold the different fluids, fuels, that they sell at the station, which feeds the particular pumps,” Sallee said. “The suspicion at this point is that there was some either cross-contamination between the fuel delivery at the time.”

If anyone has any questions or concerns, please contact Deputy Sallee at the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office at (270) 765-5133.

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