Tag Archives: West Virginia

Wheeling, WV – Sprinkler system activated for fire at youth center; No injuries reported

Wheeling Police and Fire information officer Philip Stahl tells 7NEWS that a fire broke out Tuesday afternoon at Youth Services Systems’ McCrary Center on Wheeling Island.

The call came in around 3:45PM for the location at 111 North York Street.

We’re told that it was a one room fire, which triggered the sprinkler system, that did its job to contain the fire. The building was evacuated but people were likely to be allowed back in later in the day. There were no injuries.

Officials do not yet know the cause of the fire, but they will be investigating.

Stay with 7NEWS for updates.

Charleston, WV – Sprinkler system activated for fire at bakery, No injuries reported

The Charleston Fire Department is investigating the fire that started late Tuesday night at Rock City Cake Company. Fire Marshal Richard Symns said when they responded to the fire, it was contained to a storage room containing holiday decorations on the second floor of the building.

“We believe something that was around the ornaments was combustible. We haven’t found the heat source that caused those ornaments to catch on fire,” Symns said.

Firefighters say the sprinklers and alarm went off in the building soon after the fire happened. The owners of the bakery were inside, and the fire was put out quickly.

The source of the fire is what they are currently investigating, and said they do not believe the cause was electrical.

“There is not outlets around the stuff that was in there. There may be something battery-powered. We don’t know that is what we are trying to figure out,” Symns said.

The Woolworth building is where Rock City Cake Company is located.

Rock City Cake Company shared some information on social media about their status. The bakery said they will be closed for at least a week.

Firefighters said the damage to the building was minimal but there is water damage from the sprinklers going off. In order for the bakery to reopen, Rock City Cake Company must get the green light following an investigation and inspection.

In the meantime, the bakery owners have shared that they will be filling pre-orders out of a commercial kitchen nearby and they shared that they will continue to participate in upcoming holiday events.

Webster Springs, WV – Sprinkler system activated for fire at elementary school; No injuries reported

The Webster Springs Volunteer Fire Department responded to a fire Wednesday evening at Webster Springs Elementary School.

According to 911 officials, the call came in just before 7:45 p.m. for a structure fire at Webster Springs Elementary School. The Webster Springs Volunteer Fire Department arrived on scene and was able to quickly put out the fire.

Officials said the staff was stocking supplies to start the summer school home economic class when the stove burner was turned on accidentally. Webster County Office of Emergency Management Director, Richard Rose, also said the fire was accidental.

“A stove top burner got turned on accidentally when staff was stocking supplies to start the summer school home economics class today. There were no staff in the building at the time a passerby noticed water running out of the building and smell of smoke. Sprinkler head activated and kept the fire from spreading. Upon arrival the remaining flames were quickly extinguished with a water can. We remained on scene to clear the building of smoke,” said Rose.

No injuries have been reported.

Boone County, WV – Hospital sprinkler system contains fire; No injuries reported

A small fire broke out in Boone Memorial Hospital early Tuesday morning.

A press release from Boone Memorial Hospital says the fire started in an unoccupied room on the first floor.

The fire was quickly contained by the Hospital’s fire safety sprinkler protection system.

There were no injuries or evacuations involved in the fire. The cause is under investigation by the West Virginia Office of the State Fire Marshal.

Madison, Danville, and Van Volunteer Fire Departments responded to the scene.

Huntington, WV – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire in police department headquarters; No injuries reported

A small fire inside the 10th Street Huntington Police Department headquarters was extinguished before fire crews could arrive late Friday night.

The fire alarm went off around 11 p.m. at headquarters. A small fire had started on a desk of the second floor Investigations Bureau and was extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system.

Huntington Police Chief Ray Cornwell said the fire appears to be electrical, but it will be investigated by Huntington Fire Marshal Mat Winters.

The Huntington Fire Department responded to the scene.

There were no injuries. Repairs will need to be done to address water damage from the sprinklers.

Martinsburg, WV – Sprinkler system contains fire at Macy’s fulfillment center; No injuries reported

Macy’s officials do not know when the company’s fulfillment center north of Martinsburg will reopen, following a fire Saturday night.

The retailer had a limited crew at the 333 Caperton Blvd. facility Sunday, looking at the safety of the site and equipment, Macy’s spokeswoman Andrea Schwartz wrote in an email.

No one was hurt in the fire, but the blaze damaged about 2 percent of the materials in the 2 million-square-foot facility, Hedgesville Volunteer Fire Capt. Brian Mulligan said.

The fire remained under investigation by the West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office. Additional investigative work needs to be done before a cause is determined, Assistant State Fire Marshal George Harms wrote in an email late Sunday afternoon.

The fulfillment center employs approximately 5,000 people, 980 of whom were evacuated Saturday night, Schwartz wrote.

The volume at the Martinsburg-area facility was shifted to other “mega” fulfillment centers to serve customers, she wrote.

The holiday season is a busy time for the 24-hour fulfillment center.

The temperature outside was in the low 40s when workers were evacuated. Mulligan said he wasn’t sure how long people stood around before being sent home.

“It could have been worse. Everybody did an excellent job,” Mulligan said.

Company officials are thankful all the employees are “safe and accounted for, with no injuries,” Schwartz wrote.

The retailer is supporting fire officials with the investigation, she wrote.

The fire was reported at 7:39 p.m. Saturday, a Berkeley County 911 dispatcher said.

The sprinkler system activated, along with the fire alarm, and did a good job, Mulligan said.

“It kept it contained. Thank God,” Mulligan said.

The building is fine, but the fire extended up racks of packages three stories high, Mulligan said.

An estimated 60 firefighters responded from Hedgesville, Martinsburg, Bedington, Baker Heights, the West Virginia Air National Guard and Back Creek Valley. The rehab unit from Washington County also responded.

Mulligan said an airboat, on a trailer from Frederick County, Md., was backed up to a loading dock so its large fan could be used to eject smoke from the building. An airboat was similarly used at a Winchester, Va., warehouse fire in the last year or two.

There were a lot of burnt, wet packages at the Macy’s facility, he confirmed.

Macy’s personnel had been on “fire watch” in case the blaze reignited because the fire knocked out the alarm system, Mulligan said Sunday morning.

Firefighters were able to use water-supply hookups in the building, with one stationed every 500 feet.

Charleston, WV – Sprinkler system helps contain fire caused by laser cutter at small business

Crews were on the scene last Monday night of a fire caused by a laser cutter, South Charleston firefighters say.  It happened just before 8:30 p.m. at a small business in the 1700 block of Union Carbide Drive.  Crews were on the scene a little more than 20 minutes.  The fire activated the sprinkler system at the business. No one was hurt

Morgantown, WV – Sprinkler system extinguished apartment fire caused by battery rechargeable devices

A fire at Mountaineer Court Apartments caused about $30,000 in damage to two apartments, but no one was injured Tuesday afternoon.

Investigators concluded that a fire in apartment 202 began due to several battery rechargeable devices. The fire then spread to an inflatable mattress.

A maintenance worker called 911 at 12:05 p.m.

Nobody was home at the time of the fire. The sprinkler system activated shortly after and extinguished it, but also caused water damage to apartment 101, which is directly below 202.

Logan, WV – Evening fire at Walmart contained to stock room by sprinkler system; Store reopens next morning

The city of Logan Fire Department responded to a structural fire at the Walmart in Logan around 9 p.m. Saturday. Fire Chief Scott Beckett said the fire was contained to a stock room in the back of the store.  “This is a real testament to working sprinkler systems and quick reaction times,” Beckett said. “As soon as employees realized there was a fire, they activated the fire alarms and got everyone to safety.”

Firefighters were originally told the fire was located in the shop area where tires are purchased and installed, but determined it was actually located in the rear of the building in a stock room. Beckett said the flames did not reach the main area of the store because the stock room sprinkler system had been activated. Chris Hatfield, fire marshal for the city, conducted the investigation into the cause of the fire. Beckett said Hatfield’s report deemed the cause to be accidental. The fire reportedly began when a returned item with batteries inside short circuited and began to burn. Other items close by also ignited.

No injuries were reported, and all employees on duty Saturday night were accounted for. Beckett said he commends the quick reaction from Walmart employees and his crew for their work in keeping the fire contained. “This was really a textbook situation,” Beckett said. “Minimal damage, no injuries, the store is already back open. Everyone did what they needed to do to keep this situation from being worse than it could’ve been.”

Other areas inside the store were affected by smoke, but it was also quickly ventilated to minimize the damage. Any open food items such as fruits and vegetables will be destroyed, along with any others that would be a hazard to the public. Walmart reopened to the public at 10 a.m. Sunday. The store thanked the community for their patience in a Facebook post that morning.

Hinton, WV – No injuries in senior apartment fire controlled with help from sprinkler system

Fire departments in Summers County responded to a fire Monday afternoon at Hinton House Apartments on Stokes Drive.  Steve Pack, Assistant Fire Chief of Hinton Fire Department, said the fire erupted in a kitchen on the fifth floor of the building, and is believed to have started because of an issue with an electric stove. The state Fire Marshal’s Office is still investigating. 

When the sprinkler system kicked on and put out the fire, it caused flooding to the lower floors along with residents’ carpet, ceilings and several other areas throughout the building.  Many residents were able to be housed with friends and family, but the local senior citizen center has been housing residents as well.

Red Cross has been providing those affected by the fire with blankets, food and cots.  Stephanie Elkins, property manager for the Hinton House, said they are hoping to open up the half of the building that was not damaged, but inspections are still being completed.   “I wish I could bring all of these people home tomorrow, but sadly I am still unsure of when I will be able to do that,” said Elkins.   Officials are working on reopening Hinton House, but it may be a substantial amount of time before the whole residence opens up its doors again.  A time frame is still unknown.