by The Associated Press
COFFEYVILLE, Kan. (AP) - State health and environment officials say a refinery storage tank's valve that was left open caused the oil spill that damaged hundreds of Coffeyville homes. The problem occurred during flooding four weeks ago.
Coffeyville Resources owns the refinery. The company acknowledges that a storage tank overflowed as floodwaters from nearby Verdigris River swamped the refinery.
An estimated 71,000 gallons of crude oil escaped and flowed downriver and into surrounding neighborhoods. But refinery officials declined to comment on the Kansas Health and Environment Department's findings.
