Hope They Have Insurance! Attic Fire Torches Part of Allstate Building in Washington City

No statement has been made by the Washington City Fire Department just yet, but there was a fire and a lot of excitement in Washington City Thursday afternoon.

A business building at 127 W. Telegraph in Washington, reportedly the home of The Extra Mile Insurance Agency (a distributor of Allstate Insurance) was the center of attention Thursday when smoke was seen billowing out of the attic. Witnesses and bystanders say the fire did not engulf the building, but the structure was evacuated as local firefighters worked to contain the blaze.

No injuries were reported and it's likely too early to have estimates on the extent of damage, value of property lost or other factors involved in the fire.

The emergency tied up traffic in Washington City, the second-largest municipality in Washington County, for a time as police and other first responders attended to the scene.

Telegraph was blocked off for awhile in the downtown Washington area as crews extinguished the fire. Residents and those traveling through Washington City were encouraged to avoid the area and even plan alternate routes while the scene was secured.

All photos by Shelly Griffin