Fire at Jim Beam facility destroys 45,000 barrels of bourbon

(CNN) – A massive fire at a Kentucky Jim Beam facility overnight has engulfed 45,000 barrels of the company’s bourbon.

Investigators suspect a lightning strike may have sparked the fire.

The fire was purposefully allowed to burn for several hours so that it burned the less distilled spirits that are in the debris to help ensure any runoff from the firefighting efforts didn’t pollute nearby sources of drinking water.