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Office of Buffalo Trace whiskey distillery swept into Kentucky River by mudslide

A cargo container and a makeshift office at the historic distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, slid down a cliff following heavy rain in the flood-ravaged state.
A cargo container is seen sliding into a river
A cargo container and a temporary office fell into the Kentucky River because of a mudslide at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Ky., on Monday.WLEX

A cargo container and a makeshift office for a centuries-old whiskey maker slid into the Kentucky River on Monday in the wake of heavy rain and flooding, officials said.

A "weather-related mudslide occurred on the northeast side of Buffalo Trace Distillery" in Frankfort, Kentucky, early Monday, Victoria Zabel-Wirdak, a spokesperson for the distillery’s parent, Sazerac Co. Inc., said in a statement.

The mudslide sent a "cargo container and one temporary office falling into the" Kentucky River, Zabel-Wirdak said.

"No team members were near the area at the time of the mud slide and the affected property has been properly roped off to ensure the safety of those at the Distillery," she added. "Buffalo Trace Distillery will work closely with professionals to ensure proper cleanup."

The mudslide has not stopped production and tours of the distillery, she said.

Buffalo Trace Distillery, which produces a variety of whiskey brands, claims its roots go back to 1771 and has for two-plus centuries fended off "the challenges of floods, fires, tornadoes and even Prohibition," the company said.

At least 22 people have died in recent winter weather-related incidents around the commonwealth, Gov. Andy Beshear said Monday.