A plume of smoke from the warehouse fire at the People Cartage facility on Camden Avenue is seen behind the scoreboard at the softball field at the Erickson All-Sports Facility. (Photo provided)

PARKERSBURG – Despite the proximity of the fire at the warehouse complex at the People Cartage facility on Camden Avenue, the athletic venues Parkersburg South High School calls home at nearby Erickson All-Sports Facility have not been impacted, according to Wood County Schools director of safety and security Jeremy Bell.

“Luckily there has been no damage at this time,” said Bell, who is in constant communication with the Wood County Sheriff’s Office for any updates.

A Shelter in Place was recommended Monday afternoon. Other than proper authorities, no one is permitted access to EASF.

“We haven’t fine-toothed-combed or anything yet because we don’t want to put anyone in harm’s way,” Bell said. The facility is part of their scene and we are letting them handle it right now.”

Summer classes and extra-curricular activities were closed on Monday.

A wide view of the smoke at the Erickson All-Sports Facility softball field from this week's warehouse fire at the People Cartage facility. (Photo by Christina Myer)

“We were kind of lucky that it was summer time when only some kids were in school,” Bell added.

South coaches Levi Maxwell (baseball) and Tim Burch (softball) did not have any flex days planned for this part of the summer, so no immediate plans were necessarily put on hold.

Both the South baseball and softball programs plan to move into their new ballparks next spring. The turf infield is ready but both outfields were waiting to be seeded for natural grass.

“We are just hoping this doesn’t hold up the workers because we want to use the new field for our youth camp later in July,” Burch said. “We will wait and see how it goes. We are hoping by fall to play scrimmage games.”

Until Wood County Schools halted extra-curricular activities, South football coach Larry Thompson had his players out of harm’s way lifting weights at the high school and conditioning on the front lawn of the building.

Best-case scenario, he would have liked to utilize the turf football field at EASF for conditioning.

“What we are doing works out because we are not going back and forth from the school for conditioning – outside the doors from lifting weights, we have the front lawn,” Thompson said. “If you look at the photos, there is more than a football field and a half between Erickson and the fire. I know the gentlemen and women are working diligently and will let us know when things get back to normal.”

Maxwell enters his first season with the Patriots. Like many others, he is waiting for news from his administrators. For the time being, Maxwell is making the legion circuit and watching players from around the Mid-Ohio Valley.

“The complex is unbelievable, it’s incredible,” Maxwell said. “The ultimate goal is to have the whole Erickson baseball facility the best in the state. We want it to be the best for our players and our community. That’s our goal.”

Maxwell and Burch remember the warehouse fire nine years ago at the old Ames Tool Plant in a similar part of town.

“I think the first one maybe caught us a little bit off guard,” Burch said. “The second time, the same street. Somebody needs to find out why this is happening.”

Burch is a pastor at the Gospel Mission Church on 14th Avenue – three blocks from the site of the fire at the Cartage warehouse. He had discussions with members of his congregation about holding service this past Sunday evening.

“We talked about the possible air quality, looked at the reports from the EPA then went ahead with the service,” Burch said.