PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Joseph Cheever was filling up his tanker at Global Partners Thursday afternoon when he suddenly started hearing an usual ticking noise. "I heard what seemed to be like an old timer or pressure cooker," Cheever recalled. "It was whistling." Cheever then heard what sounded like an explosion behind the building. "Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the top of [a storage tank] blow off and go flying through the air," he said. Cheever said flames began shooting from a 20,000-gallon storage tank, which contained more than 3,000 gallons of corn oil. "I'm thinking it's Armageddon, like it's going to be ... these tanks blowing up consecutively," Cheever said. "I'm thinking probably the worst." RELATED: Corn oil storage tank catches fire in Providence Cheever said a terminal manager from Global Partners immediately ran outside and assessed the situation. "There wasn't a minute or a second that went by that he wasn't doing something to prevent further alarm," Cheever said. "These guys are willing to do whatever it takes to keep everybody safe." Cheever said the terminal manager was able to keep the flames at bay with a fire extinguisher until the firefighters got there. "I've been a truck driver for about 15 years now, and this is the first time anything like this has ever happened," Cheever said. "It was just crazy." The storage tank's cap blew off in the explosion and crashed into a telephone pole more than 300 feet away on Terminal Road. (Corey Welch/WPRI-TV) Workers remove the storage tank's cap from Terminal Road using a crane. (Corey Welch/WPRI-TV) Firefighters were eventually able to smother the flames with a blanket of foam. No one was injured and the flames did not spread beyond the storage tank. Corn oil is a biodiesel that is typically used for heating, according to Global Partners. "Rhode Island mandates a 10% biofuel blend in heating oil to support sustainable energy practices," Global Partners explained. Cheever said corn oil is overall not a harmful product and there's no need for nearby residents to worry. "[Corn oil] has a flash point, but it's controllable," Cheever said. "It could have been a lot more serious if it were any other product." Global Partners resumed operations at its Providence terminal Friday afternoon. "The affected tank has been taken out of service and will remain offline until the root cause [of the fire] is identified and appropriate corrective actions are implemented to prevent future occurrences," Global Partners wrote. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup SIGN UP NOW