BELLE RIVE — Fire has destroyed a barn and welding shop near Belle Rive.

According to reports the fire call came in a little after 5 p.m. Thursday. The owner of the L-shaped barn said he was in the barn when he heard a loud bang and then noticed the back of the barn on fire.

He was able to escape without injury. A cause of the fire was not immediately determined. It was not believed any animals were hurt in the fire.

The Wayne City Fire Department was called to the scene for mutual aid, along with firemen from the Bluford, McLeansboro, Kell and Mt. Vernon city fire departments. Firefighters were reportedly on scene for over three hours.