Smoke and flames from a structure fire Monday southeast of St. Paul slowed nearby highway traffic at rush hour.

Smoke from the fire at Quade and Sons truck repair shop off Hwy. 61 in Newport was blowing onto the highway, causing the slowdown. The flames were also distracting drivers, MnDOT said in a tweet.

No injuries were reported, St. Paul Park police said. The cause was unknown. Fox-9 reported the building was destroyed.

Earlier, police asked travelers to stay out of the area. "Explosions have been heard and those are from tires, not from hazardous materials," the department added in a Facebook post.

Karen Zamora