Workers began removing the underground storage tanks Monday at Presto Convenience Store at 602 W. Ninth St., shown above.

“They should be out of there sometime Tuesday,” said Doug Wald, a company vice president. “After that, the cleanup will start.”

The company was ordered to remove the store’s three tanks last week after the Kansas Department of Health and Environment confirmed one or more of the tanks were leaking gasoline. The leak is suspected of causing an April 30 fire that destroyed a five-apartment house at 838 La.

The now-razed house was across the street east from the store.

Wald said he hoped the store’s gasoline sales would resume by May 26.