UPDATE- Fire Officials Determine Preliminary Cause Of Morning Fire

STARKVILLE (WCBI)  – A safety system prevented a morning fire in Starkville from being much worse.

Starkville Fire Marshall Mark McCurdy says the blaze at the Sprint Mart on Highway 12 was caused after an MDOT worker accidentally hit a gas pump with the mower attached to his tractor.   The mower which extends to the side of the tractor, was not completely raised and clipped the top of the pump.  The driver backed up and did not realize the extent of the damage.  The fire started when he reached for the hose and static electricity ignited the gas which had spilled both outside and inside the pump.  McCurdy says a safety system had already sealed the valve from the pump to the underground tank .  That precaution limited the amount of gas to fuel the fire.   One MDOT worker was flown to Jackson for treatment of his  burns.  A second MDOT worker was treated locally.