Kentucky: Jim Beam will pay state for fish killed after fire

The Cincinnati Enquirer ^ | 10Sep03 | AP

[yankeedame]

Wednesday, September 10, 2003

Jim Beam will pay state for fish killed after fire

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The Associated Press

FRANKFORT,KY - Jim Beam will pay nearly $27,000 in damages after a fire at one of its warehouses spilled alcohol into a nearby creek, killing thousands of fish.

Jim Beam will pay $26,732.33 to the state to compensate for an estimated 19,000 fish that died when bourbon seeped into Withrow Creek and the Salt River days after a warehouse caught fire last month, a statement from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources said Tuesday.

"The company's proactive measures to minimize the flow of bourbon into the waters of the Commonwealth, along with heavy rains soon after the fire helped limit the damage," said Benjy Kinman, director of the state agency.

Seventeen species of fish, including largemouth bass, catfish, paddlefish, sunfish and drum, were killed following the blaze.

Kinman said the agency did not expect any long-term damage on the river because of the spill.

"However, when conditions allow, the department intends to do a one-time stocking of certain species," Kinman said.

Thousands of fish died suddenly in a portion of the river that is on the Fort Knox military post less than a week after the fire. The fire, which started after the warehouse was struck by lightning, caused more than 800,000 gallons of bourbon to begin burning and flow into a retaining pond in Nelson County. When the pond overflowed, burning whiskey flowed into Withrow Creek.

Thorough cleanup promised

The fish were killed by a combination of exposure to a lethal concentration of alcohol and by a lack of oxygen in the water that occurs after microorganisms are attracted to the alcohol and use up too much of the oxygen, officials say.

"We will continue to do whatever it takes and will continue to cooperate to the fullest to ensure a thorough cleanup and to fulfill our responsibilities to the environment," said Rich Reese, president and CEO of Jim Beam Brands Worldwide.

There are more than 200 bourbon warehouses in Kentucky, which store about four million barrels.

Jim Beam is the largest bourbon producer in the state, but other bourbon distilleries include Maker's Mark and Wild Turkey.

In 2000, a fire destroyed a seven-story Wild Turkey warehouse in Anderson County, causing a spill into the Kentucky River that left hundreds of thousands of fish dead for 66 miles. Wild Turkey paid $256,000 to the state.

[2timothy3.16]

Let me see if I have this right, Jim Bean, a company that makes booze and pays tons of money to the sate in taxes, has a fire. Instead of the state of kentucky saying, "what can we do to help get you back up and running and paying taxes", the state instead says "pay us for the dead fish." Your governor and legislature must think the fish were near kin.

I thought stupidity like this was only in maine, washington and california.

[xzins]

Oddly enough, Maker's Mark of the same location had a very similar fire a few years back. They used it as the prelude to closing their operations near Bardstown.

I wonder if Beam is moving?

Kentucky Bourbon made in India or China....that'd be interesting, wouldn't it?

[LibKill]

That's a little harsh. After all, the fish died happy.

[cajun-jack]

what's wrong with eating fish that have been pre-marinated in good whiskey?? seems to me like there would have been a bunch of good ole boys with dip nets singing and dancing and running up and down the river banks!!

But then just just have hillbillies up there and not coonasses. lol

[theDentist]

Huh? They don't send me a check for my hangovers?!

[sergeantdave]

Let's see. What's next? Ah, yes...Your house is struck by lightning, burns to the ground and now the state and EPA will fine you for air pollution. Your insurance money to rebuild your house is confiscated to pay the fine. Fish and Wildlife will charge you with killing endangered species and demand your bank account for damages. Then the EPA will demand that you turn your land into a swamp.

Love this government.

[skinkinthegrass]

....Largemouthed Bass...that 'ol sot.

....paddlefish??...a native mixer.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

I am going to market Withrow Creek spring water!

[from occupied ga]

Jim Beam will pay state for fish killed after fire

Actually the costs will be passed on to the consumers and stockholders, which is why the corporate types always roll over to the government so fast rather than take this to court.

[wku man]

Fish killed by Jim Beam? I've been telling people for years that Beam sucks! Bring on the Bookers!

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[American in Israel]

Why pay the government, does the king own all the fish? It cannot be because the costs of replaceing the fish as the Fish and Wildlife guys are intending to "replace some of the fish someday"...

Lets see, if the cost of the deer tags and the permits and required gun classes is higher per pound than hamburger for a deer that may not be delivered, isn't the whole scheme a bit like overcharging for goods you do not own and did not intend to deliver anyway?

Oh, government, that explains it.

[anoldafvet]

We have a RAT governor. We've had one for 32 straight years. He's from the Bill Clinton school of politics, do nothing, tax everything and play around on your wife on the side. When he got caught, he cried real tears, said he was sorry, and that we should move on because it was personal. He goes to trial AFTER the election.

Incidentally, it is my understanding that the fish killed were carp, suckers and sunfish. BTW this was one warehouse out of about 50 and represented about 2% of the whiskey in storage.

[Terriergal]

Seventeen species of fish, including largemouth bass, catfish, paddlefish, sunfish and drum, were killed following the blaze.

The rest were just really really mellow for a while...

[Terriergal]

My thoughts exactly. How is MONEY going to help pay for dead fish? Just close fishing on that stretch of river for a year or two.

[2timothy3.16]

Kentucky Bourbon made in India or China

China? India? fine sippin burbon? I don't think so.

But then again, that would make the slave labor in china happy, imagine being a slave in china and getting to taste fine southern sippin wiskey.

[2timothy3.16]

Kentucky Bourbon made in India or China

China? India? fine sippin burbon? I don't think so.

But then again, that would make the slave labor in china happy, imagine being a slave in china and getting to taste fine southern sippin wiskey.

[2timothy3.16]

Kentucky Bourbon made in India or China

China? India? fine sippin burbon? I don't think so.

But then again, that would make the slave labor in china happy, imagine being a slave in china and getting to taste fine southern sippin wiskey.