Tim Smith, Tonganoxie Township Fire chief, said it’s thought that a small gas leak inside an engine at the station caused the blaze.

The fire started about 6:45 p.m. at the KLM Exploration station, which is part of the company’s underground storage facilities on 259th Street just north of Dempsey Road east of McLouth, Smith said.

Smith said there was a KLM employee at the station when the fire started, but he was not injured.

The McLouth City/Union Township Fire Department referred all questions to KLM, which did not immediately return calls late Tuesday morning.