PARKERSBURG - Volunteer firefighters from several departments responded to two separate house fires Sunday afternoon and evening in Wood County.
Deputy Chief Cliff Buckley with the East Wood Volunteer Fire Department said the department was called to 764 Dutch Ridge Road at 5:10 p.m. regarding a structure fire.
The split-level house is owned by Janice Jackson and was being rented by Greg Wilhelm.
Buckley said the fire started in the garage and was caused by improper disposal of hot embers from a wood-burning stove in the residence. The embers were placed in a plastic garbage can and placed next to the door in the garage. The embers caught the plastic can on fire and then spread to the interior of the garage.
The fire was just starting to spread into the home when firefighters arrived and brought it quickly under control, he said.
Buckley said a preliminary estimate Monday put the damage at around $30,000, mainly involving the garage, although the home sustained smoke damage. No injuries were reported.
East Wood was joined at the scene by units from Mineral Wells and Deerwalk VFDs.
Buckley said the fire highlighted the need to be careful with embers and ash by owners of wood-burning stoves. He stressed the use of metal containers and urged embers and ash be moved outside the home as soon as possible.
"Make sure you properly dispose of hot embers. That's something I really want to stress," he said.
A residential home in Lubeck was heavily damaged in a Sunday night fire that began when a trash fire caused the house to catch fire.
Lubeck Volunteer Fire Chief Mark Stewart said the fire department responded at 8:02 p.m. Sunday to the Jeremy Hall residence at 526 Palhurst Plaza off West Virginia 68 in Lubeck, about a half-mile from the fire station.
Stewart said the fire started as a result of a fire built by the owner in the backyard to burn Christmas boxes. At one point while it was unattended, Stewart said the trash fire ignited an outbuilding.
The fire then moved to the back of the house and then into the house, at which time the smoke alarm went off and alerted the occupants, who were able to exit the home without injury, he said.
The Hall family was being housed by the Mid-Ohio Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, Stewart said.
Stewart said high winds caused the flames to progress faster than normal and the house was well involved when firefighters arrived. There were no hydrants close enough, so water was shuttled to the scene by tankers. Firefighters were able to bring the fire under control quickly, he said.
Lubeck VFD was joined by firefighters from Washington Bottom VFD and Blennerhassett VFD.
Stewart said no damage estimate was available Monday, but the split-level home sustained 50 percent flame damage and 100 percent smoke and heat damage.
