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Home lost to fire, firefighters respond to chimney fires

A home in the 200 block of Potter Road off River Road was destroyed by fire last Friday, February 1 and one resident of the home was transported by EMS with injuries related to the fire.

The call for a structure fire came in to Morgan County 911 at 5:17 a.m. A resident of the home called in the fire, said 911 officials.

Hancock Volunteer Fire Department arrived on the fire scene first, with Deputy Chief Ben Hoopengardner taking overall command. Fire units also responded from Berkeley Springs, Hedgesville, Great Cacapon, Bedington, Back Creek and Orleans.

According to fire officials, the house fire also reached an automobile parked near the home. The home collapsed due to the extent of the fire.

Freezing conditions complicated access to a water source for firefighting, according to units on the scene.

Fire units cleared the scene at 8:27 a.m.

Chimney fires

Firefighters responded to a string of chimney fires during the extreme cold on Wednesday and Thursday of last week.

Units were called to put out a chimney fire on Wiggins Run Road in Great Cacapon at 11:15 a.m. Firefighters arrived to find smoke conditions in the house due to a pellet stove malfunction, according to Great Cacapon fire officials. Responders cleared the smoke conditions, and were called to a second chimney fire in Berkeley Springs.

Morgan County 911 dispatched a chimney fire in the 100 block of Reeder Lane off U.S. 522 south of Berkeley Springs at 11:45 a.m. The fire was reportedly caused by a furnace malfunction that ignited a chimney fire in an occupied structure.

Berkeley Springs firefighters were in command on the scene and found light smoke showing outside the building. Responders used a thermal imaging camera and found an active chimney fire, which they extinguished with a dry chemical powder.

Other units responded from South Morgan and Great Cacapon, with eight personnel on the scene.

A chimney fire last Thursday, January 31 near the county’s business park turned into a structure fire in the 200 block of Birch Grove Lane in Berkeley Springs.

Chief Deputy Brian McNelly of the South Morgan Volunteer Fire Department said on Monday that the chimney fire burned “a 4’ by 8’ hole all the way through the wall,” and the electricity and chimney service was shut down in that room until the proper repairs were made.

McNelly said the homeowner was treated for smoke inhalation by the Morgan County EMS at the scene and was released.

The call came in at 9:15 a.m. and the fire was under control at 10:57 a.m., a 911 dispatcher said.

Fire companies also responded from Reynolds Store, Berkeley Springs, Gainesboro, and Great Cacapon.

 

 

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