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It was the scene of a disaster at 3 Rivers Energy Partners in Lynchburg on Monday night, as a tank ruptured and spilled two million gallons of water.

“We have a disaster here,” said Moore County Mayor Sloan Stewart.

Stewart was notified about 8 a.m. Tuesday morning that a tank ruptured at the 3 Rivers Energy Partners facility on Good Branch Road and spilled two million gallons of water. 

“Thank goodness it didn’t happen while school traffic and school buses were running,” he said. “At least no one was hurt.”

Shaking his head, Stewart added “Looks like a tornado went through down there.”

An official on the scene said they were testing the tank’s capacity, filling it with lake water when it ruptured late Monday night, starting a flood. 3 Rivers Energy Partners had personnel on site who alerted authorities shortly after the spill started, and then closed off the road.

By early Tuesday morning the damage was done. Power poles were washed out and power lines were down, cutting service in the area. Trees, mud, fencing, and parts of the tank were on the road. Four of the seven tanks on site were damaged.

While the damaged tanks are uphill and directly across from a creek, concerns about spillage will likely be brought to the forefront.

The facility is owned by Lynchburg Renewable Fuels LLC, who is co-owned by 3 Rivers Energy Partners. 3 Rivers has brought in BIOFerm, a Wisconsin-based renewable energy company, for the development of the facility.

By late Tuesday afternoon the road was cleared but still not open to through traffic. Cleanup and repair will be a massive undertaking. Kegan Rivers, Senior Vice President of Marketing, with 3 Rivers Energy Partners said the company will be transparent and provide updates regarding progress of the cleanup. An investigation into the cause of the failure and prevention of future incidents is under way. He said the company is committed to the safety of the plant and the community.