Emergency crews responded to a structure fire in rural Wellman on Tuesday. According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, at 4:30 p.m., the Wellman Fire Department  responded to a report of a machine shed on fire that had a semi inside in the 1700 block of Hemlock Avenue. The fire was located approximately six miles south of Wellman.

 The machine shed was near a house and garage, and had a camper and trucks near it. The caller reported that it sounded like something had blown up inside the machine shed. Officials advised drivers to avoid the area of Hemlock Avenue between 170th Street and 180th Street while emergency services utilized the roadway for resource distribution. 

The cause of the fire is believed to be started from the semi that was inside the structure. According to Wellman Fire Chief Rex Peck, it took approximately two and a half hours to extinguish. All occupants were accounted for.