The Associated Press
 AP Photo/Ed Zurga Dark smoke billows into the sky from a fire at a gasoline storage tank Wednesday, in Kansas City, Kan. A tank containing 1.2 million gallons of unleaded gasoline erupted after being hit by lightning. |
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Authorities say lightning from a line of strong thunderstorms crashing through the Midwest ignited a large fire at a petroleum terminal in downtown Kansas City, Kan.
City fire Capt. Stan Castaneda says lightning struck a large storage tank at the Magellan Pipeline facility near downtown. The massive fire has sent flames and dark smoke billowing into the sky.
No injuries have been reported.
The storms passed through the Kansas City area Tuesday evening, producing strong winds, heavy rain and hail. Tornado sirens went off in Lees Summit, Mo., and up to nickel-sized hail fell in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
Thunderstorms cut through south-central Indiana on Tuesday, spawning at least three tornadoes and causing widespread damage. Scattered damage was reported throughout central Indiana, and at one point more than 4,600 people were without electricity.
In eastern Ohio, a funnel cloud was spotted as thunderstorms raged across the central and southern portions of the state. Up to three inches of rain had fallen in two to three hours and up to two more inches was expected, the Weather Service reported, and a flash flood watch was to last through Wednesday afternoon in many areas.