Cause of Oil Fire Unknown

Investigators are trying to determine what caused a fire Friday at an oil well
near County Road 136 east of Cheyenne Friday morning.  The fire started in an oil treater owned by SM Energy and authorities say flames reached as high as 200 feet.

Lew Simpson, spokesman for Laramie County Fire District Number 2, says the fire started in an oil treater, which removes sediment and water from crude oil before it is transported to refineries.

The fire sent  sent flames 100 to 200 feet in the air, but no injuries were reported. Simpson says the treater overflowed and ignited, threatening about 42,000 gallons of other fuel oil stored nearby, but firefighters were able to shut off fuel to the fire.

The spilled oil was contained in storage dykes around the tanks.