What’s that black plume north of Wichita? A burning shed

A storage shed next to a grain elevator caught fire in north Newton Thursday afternoon, sending thick black smoke into the air.

The fire broke out at 3:50 p.m. on the property of Mid-Kansas Co-op at 1911 N. Main in North Newton, a Harvey County emergency dispatcher said. The dark smoke had residents and motorists wondering what had caught fire.

The shed has a lot of paper and other combustible recycling materials inside, the dispatcher said. Firefighters from Newton and Hesston are letting the materials burn while keeping it from spreading to the grain elevator.

Ten fire trucks and EMS vehicles are at the scene, the dispatcher said. Main is closed from the Newton city limits north to about 23rd Street.

While the smoke is thick, it has not caused any traffic issues in the area, the dispatcher said. No injuries have been reported.

The shed is expected to continue burning for several more hours.

This story was originally published November 16, 2017 at 5:33 PM with the headline "What’s that black plume north of Wichita? A burning shed."