Rural Epworth Machine Shed destroyed in late night fire.

On January 23, 2026 at 11:43 pm, Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office along with Epworth Fire Department, Farley Fire Department, and Centralia Fire Department responded to 7034 Then Rd for a report of a structure fire. A 40 ft x 120 ft machine shed, owned by Kenneth Hosch, was fully engulfed. Fire crews were able to extinguish the fire to the building containing welding equipment, preventing the fire from spreading to nearby structures. The building and its contents are considered to be a total loss, with an estimated value of $100,000. The cause of the fire does not appear to be suspicious in nature, and no injuries were reported.