Tanks Are Out

Two, ten-thousand gallon gas tanks were pulled out of the ground at the former Ken Roe’s Gas Station on South Main Street on Thursday afternoon, January 5.

Various pieces of excavation equipment dug away at the two tanks which apparently sat one on top of another. Environmental inspectors took several soil samples from the surrounding dirt to check for any potential contamination. The tanks had been drained years before once the former, familiar landmark stopped pumping fuel. However, once the tanks had sat unused for a period of time, they are required to be excavated.

Property owner and local businessman Ken Roe had done some major remodeling of the site years ago, creating a small, illuminated fish pond, complete with a trademark miniature dinosaur. The small building which housed the operations was also illuminated in neon trim which would turn a traveler’s eye as they drove past. Roe said he brought in three local contractors, Langston, Torrez and Carrigan, to dig and move the tanks which will be scrapped for junk.

By Russ Baldwin