Small Missouri town ‘devastated’ by wildfire Saturday

WOOLDRIDGE, Mo. (AP) – Roughly half of a small Missouri town burned Saturday after a wildfire spread quickly from a farm field and destroyed or heavily damaged 23 buildings.

No one died and only one person was injured, but the entire town of Wooldridge had to be evacuated because of the fire that started in a nearby farm field.

Wooldridge is a town of less than 100 people about 20 miles west of Columbia along the Missouri River.

A nearby stretch of Interstate 70 had to be closed for nearly two hours Saturday evening because of heavy smoke.

Cooper County Fire District spokesman Jim Gann said Sunday that between 3,000 and 3,500 acres burned before the fire was brought under control.