VIDEO: It started like any other November day at the Heaven Hill Distillery in Bardstown until disaster struck in 1996 and a wooden warehouse went up in flames.
WHAS11’s Sky11 chopper raced to the scene as smoke billowed above.
Water did little in the fight against burning bourbon and within minutes, the first warehouse was a total loss. First responders put their focus on other buildings, but the flames were too strong, and the weather conditions were worsening.
WHAS11 reporter George Sells was at the scene, frantically calling Melissa Swan in the newsroom.
“Just have to stand back and watch it burn. At this point, there’s absolutely nothing they can do as this rain comes in and these heavy winds blowing. They’re gusting over 40 miles an hour now,” he described.