Fruitland rest area out of commission for now

Motorists traveling north along Interstate 55 this Thanksgiving holiday will have one fewer rest area available to them.

The Missouri Department of Transportation received notice at 11 p.m. Tuesday of a structure fire at the Fruitland rest area at mile marker 108. General services manager for facilities Dave Belanger said a technician was sent to the site once MoDOT had received notice of smoke coming from both restrooms, but firefighters already were on the scene extinguishing the fire.

Belanger said the initial cause of the fire appears to be electrical, but assessments have not yet been completed. The rest area will remain closed temporarily.

For those traveling the stretch of Interstate 55 that winds through Southeast Missouri, Belanger said notice of the closure will be posted. The message board south of Hayti, Missouri, which greets motorists entering the state from the south, will be updated to inform travelers the next rest area will not be available until they reach the Bloomsdale rest area at mile marker 160.

The closure of a popular rest area so close to a major holiday is unfortunate, Belanger said, but staff planned to work Wednesday to find a way to move forward.

"A significant number of folks use [the Fruitland] facility, so having this happen definitely didn't do us any favors," he said. "We will definitely work to come up with a solution to try and get things back on track."

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641