The Fire at Heaven Hill Distillery in 1996
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On November 7, 1996, a devastating fire occurred at the Heaven Hill Distillery in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The fire broke out in a warehouse containing approximately 90,000 barrels of bourbon whiskey.
Causes and Course of the Fire
An electrical defect or a lightning strike was suspected to be the cause, but this was never conclusively determined. Favored by strong winds, the flames quickly spread to other warehouses. In total, seven of the warehouses burned down completely.
Firefighters battled the flames for days. Complicating matters was the fact that burning whiskey seeping into the ground ignited fires beneath the surface. A nearby river also caught fire when whiskey flowed into it. At times, there was even a threat of the flames spreading to the production facilities.
Consequences of the Major Fire
The financial damage was estimated at 30 to 60 million dollars - not only for Heaven Hill itself but also for independent producers who had stored whiskey in the warehouses.
Approximately two percent of the national whiskey supply was lost. Nevertheless, the fire had no long-term impact on the whiskey industry, as the production facilities were not damaged. Heaven Hill resumed production after a brief interruption.
The fire of 1996 went down as one of the largest and most devastating in the history of the American whiskey industry. For Heaven Hill, it meant a severe setback. However, thanks to the quick resumption of operations, the traditional family-owned company was able to overcome the consequences and remains one of the largest bourbon producers in the USA to this day.
