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By Sal Sendik and Brandon Griggs CNN
(CNN) – The collapse of a warehouse wall in a Kentucky distillery has not only sent 9,000 barrels of bourbon crush on the floor. The crash last Friday also killed hundreds of fish when bourbon spilled into nearby water courses, state officials said.
Nearly 1,000 fish have been found dead in Withrow Creek and Fork Fork Beach near the 1792 Barton Distillery in Bardstown, according to officials at the Kentucky Department of Energy and Environment.
State environmental officials said they would fine Sazerac Inc., the parent company of the distillery, $ 25,000 a day after the discovery of the company's presence. alcohol in the waters.
The state intends to name the company for failing to report a spill and water pollution, "said John Mura, director of communications at Kentucky Energy and Environment.
Sazerac has not responded to CNN's repeated requests for comment.
The dead fish were mainly minnows, but state inspectors also found a smaller number of catfish, suckers, darters, gar and smallmouth bass, said Mura. . Some nearby residents posted pictures of dead fish on social networks.
The results of tests of water samples collected by the state in the days following the collapse are still pending.
When asked about how state officials know that bourbon caused the death of the fish, Mura said, "I think it's pretty obvious why they died."
The warehouse can hold up to 20,000 barrels stacked and had a wall repaired when half of the structure collapsed. No injuries have been reported.
Generally, each barrel contains 53 gallons of bourbon, according to the CNN WLKY affiliate.
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