By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

Saline County employees doing some ditch work escaped injury Tuesday afternoon when an excavator they were using caught fire in the east-central part of the county.

Deputies and Rural Fire District No. 1 personnel responded to the report of an excavator on fire in the 6300 block of E. Water Well Road at approximately 2:43 p.m. Tuesday, Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said this morning. The fire occurred just east of the intersection with S. Niles Road.

The John Deere excavator, valued at $50,000, was a total loss. A fuel leak is believed to have led to the fire, Soldan said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640191926402.jpeg" alt="This Saline County excavator was destroyed in a fire Tuesday afternoon. Photo courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>This Saline County excavator was destroyed in a fire Tuesday afternoon. Photo courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostSaline County employees doing some ditch work escaped injury Tuesday afternoon when an excavator they were using caught fire in the east-central part of the county.Deputies and Rural Fire District No. 1 personnel responded to the report of an excavator on fire in the 6300 block of E. Water Well Road at approximately 2:43 p.m. Tuesday, Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said this morning. The fire occurred just east of the intersection with S. Niles Road.The John Deere excavator, valued at $50,000, was a total loss. A fuel leak is believed to have led to the fire, Soldan said.

Saline County employees escape injury; excavator totaled