(La Junta, CO) -- A large fire at a La Junta feed mill closes highway 50 in both directions. Firefighters in La Junta called for the help of many other SE Colorado fire departments to help them battle a blaze Monday morning, October 17th.

Colorado State Patrol reported closing the highway to give firefighters better access to the fire. Drivers are being re-routed onto third street.

Earlier today on her way to work, SECOM employee Kristi stopped to shoot this video.

WW Feeds is one of two feed stores in La Junta and has served the area since 1947 when

Efton & Juanita Duncan and A.C. Milburn formed Duncan & Milburn Inc. Hatchery, according to the history background on the business website.

It was first in Swink and they moved a year later to La Junta. By 1952, the business name was changed to Duncan Feed & Hatchery and moved to 414 West 1st Street in La Junta, into a new two-story building the Duncan family built to house their business on the first floor and their two-bedroom home on the second floor. In 1957, they leased the old Santa Fe Railroad building at 303 West 1st Street (today's site) and changed their business name first to Duncan Feeders Supply and later to Duncan Products Co. The store’s first grain elevator and scale were added during this period.

You might remember from recent years that Susan and Curt Russell owned and operated the store. They sold the business in 2019 to Ryan Davis, originally from Las Animas.

The store served the community, 4H students, FFA students and farms and ranches from near-by communities. The website states they offer full range of products with the main focus of cattle feed and supplements. Their website reads, "If it eats, we can feed it!"

La Junta Fire Chief Brad Davidson gave a news conference in the Safeway parking lot after firefighters were able to knock down much of the fire.

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Anne Boswell, anneb@secpa.com

Communications Coordinator, Southeast Colorado Power Association, SECOM