No injuries to people or livestock occurred after a fire Wednesday at the Midwest Exchange Regional Stockyards in the 2700 block of Business U.S. Highway 54 in Vandiver Village.

The Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office was called to investigate the fire and it is still under investigation.  

At 8:30 a.m., Little Dixie Fire Protection District responded to the business regarding a fire, according to information from the Mexico Public Safety Department. The caller reported hearing what sounded like an explosion and seeing fire in the building. Little Dixie personnel arrived on scene, and after seeing the conditions, they made a mutual aid request of Mexico Public Safety Department. 

Fire was found and extinguished in a room in the northwest corner of the building, and personnel then determined that the fire had reached an enclosed area above the ceiling of that room and was spreading through some insulation material. Access was gained to the area and the fire was contained and extinguished. The area of the fire sustained severe fire and heat damage, while the rest of the building had minor smoke damage, the MPSD information stated.

Business U.S. Highway 54 was closed for about three hours and the Audrain County Sheriff’s Office conducted traffic control.