Tag Archives: West Virginia

Government/Military, Other-Government/Military

Union, WV – Sprinkler system activated for fire at courthouse; No injuries reported

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The Monroe County Courthouse caught fire on Saturday, January 11, 2025.

A state worker noticed smoke emanating from the courthouse’s windows at 3:30 a.m. This state worker, in turn, notified local authorities. Local fire departments promptly responded to the call and saved the courthouse. However, there were still some damages inside the building, according to County Commissioner Kenny Mann.

“We have been working on redoing the courthouse due to problems – just an old building. We finally got grant money and the governor’s office helped. We were just a few months away from from having this project completed. This will be a setback, but no lives were lost and nobody was injured. That was the greatest thing,” said Commissioner Mann.

The fire broke out between the second and third floors of the courthouse, even affecting the new courtroom that was under construction.

The building’s sprinkler system may have aided firefighters in putting out the fire, but its activation did additional damage to the building.

Minor water damages have been reported around the courthouse, as well as the new courtroom’s insulation in the ceiling. No damages were reported in the Upper Record Room – which is home to the county’s “precious records”.

The water from the sprinklers did make its way to the downstairs record room, housing older records.

“There was some water damage to them. [ServPro] has a technique that they use to where they they freeze the records and their dry-out process puts them back to where almost original state,” said Commissioner Mann.

ServPro is aiding in cleanup at the courthouse, thanks to the County Commission gathering shortly after the fire and voting to declare a County State of Emergency. This declaration helped them get quicker help as they bypassed the bidding process required by law.

“[The] government will not shut down here. We just have to maybe relocate to other places on our complex here, too, for a few weeks,” clarified Commissioner Mann. “Rather than that, business will [go on] as usual. We just have to maybe relocate to other places on our complex for a few weeks.”

The fire is under investigation, as its cause remains unknown.

Retail, Shopping Mall

Bridgeport, WV – Sprinkler system activated for fire at mall; No injuries reported

Multiple fire departments responded to a fire at Meadowbrook Mall on Sunday morning.

Harrison County 911 received reports of smoke and flames coming from Exotic Nails, located near the food court, at approximately 7:50 a.m. Fire crews initially found no signs of fire but discovered smoke and an active sprinkler system during a more thorough investigation.

No injuries were reported, and the extent of the damage to the affected areas is under assessment. It’s believed that the mall’s food court and several stores suffered some water damage.

Bridgeport Fire, Anmoore Fire & EMS, Nutter Fort Fire, Shinnston Fire, and Spelter Fire responded to the call.

Apartment Building, Residential

Cross Lanes, WV – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

A fire inside an apartment building was quickly put out Wednesday morning.

It happened about 4:30 a.m. in Cross Lanes.

The Nitro Fire Department said it happened at Cross Lanes Unity Apartments.

Firefighters said the sprinkler system put out the fire.

All 27 people inside were forced to leave the building. No one was injured.

Most of those were able to go back in once the building was ventilated.

The Nitro fire chief said the sprinkler system probably saved lives.

Firefighters said the fire started when someone in one of the apartments was smoking while in bed.

Apartment Building, Residential

Cross Lanes, WV – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex

A sprinkler system in a Kanahwa County apartment is credited with preventing a horrible tragedy early this morning.

Firefighers from Kanawha and Putnam County responded to the blaze around 4:30 a.m. at the Unity Apartments in Cross Lanes.

The fire broke out in the bedroom of one unit, but the sprinkler quickly had the fire under control even before the fire department arrived. Nitro Fire Chief Casey Mathes said had it not been for the sprinkler, the early morning fire very likely would have claimed several lives.

Twenty-seven residents of the apartment building located on Big Tyler Road were evacuated. They were allowed to reurn home after about an hour.

Investigators said the fire is blamed on smoking in bed.

Apartment Building, Residential

Morgantown, WV – Sprinkler system activated for kitchen fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

Firefighters in Morgantown responded to a kitchen fire Wednesday at the College Park Apartments.

The Morgantown Fire Department responded to 80 Newton Avenue at 5:10 p.m. and promptly extinguished the stovetop fire. Firefighters found a sprinkler-controlled fire in the living room and also extinguished and shut down the flow to the sprinkler system.

No injuries were reported.

Apartment Building, Residential

Chapmanville, WV – Sprinkler system activated for fire on apartment building eighth floor; No injuries reported

Nearly 100 residents of the Chapmanville Towers were displaced Monday after a fire broke out on the building’s top floor.

According to the Chapmanville Volunteer Fire Department, the fire began in an apartment on the building’s eighth floor. No injuries were reported, but water damage was caused to several apartments by the complex’s automatic sprinkler system going off, which caused water to seep throughout the building.

Crews quickly extinguished the fire and evacuated the building. Initial social media posts also rumored of a roof collapse; however, there were no official reports that indicated such damage.

Most of the 88 residents who were evacuated were transported to Chapmanville Regional High School, but some residents did choose to go to the Tracy Vickers Community Center instead, according to a press release from the Logan County Office of Emergency Management.

The Red Cross responded to the shelter location at the high school to assist the displaced residents. FEMA is also assisting with the displaced, according to the Chapmanville Volunteer Fire Department.

Property restoration crews were called to the scene as well. There is no word yet on when residents may safely return to the building.

Multiple agencies responded to assist including the Chapmanville Volunteer Fire Department, the City of Logan Fire Department, Henlawson Fire Department, Danville Fire Department, the Logan Emergency Ambulance Service Authority (LEASA), the Logan County Office of Emergency Management and the Boone County Office of Emergency Management.

Other - School / University, School / University

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.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

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.

Primary / Secondary School, School / University

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.

Hospital/Care Facility, Hospital/Medical Clinic

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.