By Murray Evans
The Associated Press

BARDSTOWN, Ky. - As the remnants of a Jim Beam bourbon warehouse continued to burn Tuesday, officials with the company and Nelson County fire officials expressed confidence the environmental damage caused by the blaze would be minimal.

Nelson County Emergency Management Director Joe Osborne said tests will be going on for at least a week, but that only a minimal amount of bourbon managed to find its way into Withrow Creek, which runs near the charred warehouse.

The smell of burning bourbon lingered in the air near the warehouse Tuesday afternoon.

About 90 minutes after Bardstown firefighters responded to the blaze Monday, bulldozers were brought in and three earthen dams were erected in Withrow Creek, which helped stop the flow of bourbon downstream, Osborne said.

Osborne said bourbon leaked into the stream for about 10 minutes before the dams were erected.

"Right now, it's too early to tell about environmental damage," Osborne said. "We got some (bourbon) in the river, I'm sure. But we're not sure if it's enough to do any damage. We think it's very minimal, but we'll have to wait and see."

Agents from the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms combed the site Tuesday, checking for any environmental damage.

The fire will likely burn for at least two more days, Bardstown Fire Chief Anthony Mattingly said.