(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department was called to 16036 county road K-22 Monday afternoon at about 12:30 p.m. for a backhoe excavator that had caught on fire. The operator says the machine stopped running, and moments later, caught on fire. There was a nearby pile of trees that was on fire, but the operator claims the machine did not catch on fire as a result of the burn pile. Assistant Fire Chief Mike Wise says the Komatzu Excavator was a total loss and estimates the value at $80,000. Firefighters used a foam to help extinguish the blaze on both the backhoe excavator and the tree pile. Firefighters were on the scene for nearly two hours.
