LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Not much is left of the Jim Beam bourbon warehouse that went up in flames Tuesday night.
A huge fire destroyed the Woodford County warehouse, and it is still burning.
On Friday, crews were still on the scene, removing debris and monitoring hot spots, but those aren't the only problems.
Since the fire started, an unknown amount of bourbon has spilled into the nearby Kentucky River, and neighbors have significant damage to their homes.
"I've lived down here and owned these houses, these three houses, for going on 20 years now," Gary Tate said.
It would not be a stretch to say Tate's homes are too close for comfort. He lives right across the street from the Jim Beam bourbon warehouse that's been burning since Tuesday night.
"The whole second story of my house, it just crinkled it up to the top," Tate said. "To see something like this — it breaks my heart."
Despite the heartbreak and heat, Tate stayed, but he did evacuate his farm animals.
"Because the heat was so intense, it was scorching the hair on the horses," Tate said. "That's how hot it was."
Meanwhile, there are no longer flames shooting from the rubble, but officials said the fire is still burning, and that's only one of several concerns.
"As soon as we knew that the bourbon had escaped into Glenns Creek and would make its way into the Kentucky River, we knew there would be a problem," said John Mura with the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet. "It is very quickly consumed by bacteria, and that bacteria takes all of the oxygen out of the water, which then kills aquatic life."
Bourbon mixes with water in the Kentucky River, Wednesday, July 3, 2019, following an overnight fire at a Jim Beam distillery in Woodford County, Ky. Firefighters from four counties responded to the blaze that erupted late Tuesday. (Pat McDonogh/Courier Journal via AP)
And that has caused a pretty significant fish kill on the Kentucky River. Mura said the problem could temporarily change the taste and smell of the tap water for people who live near the river.
"But the water is safe to drink," Mura said. "I really want to emphasize that. It's safe to drink."
Mura said Jim Beam is working to eliminate the problem on the river.
"They have aerators, both in the creek and on the Kentucky River, trying to pump oxygen back into the water," he said.
And neighbors said the company is doing the same for them.
"They're going to have a restoration crew here next week to start fixing our houses, put new windows in them and stuff," Tate said.
The Commonwealth of Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet released more details Friday afternoon. Officials said they are seeing increasing quantities of dead and distressed fish.
Despite the problems, fishing and other recreation along the river aren't prohibited at this time, but users are encouraged to be aware of conditions before using the waterway.
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