Body found in burned home
Police have not yet pinpointed the identity of a body found in a Morgan County home following a house fire on Friday, December 11. Police don't suspect foul play in the death.
Hancock firefighters were the first to arrive at the scene of the fire at 1275 Jim West Road, shortly after 1 p.m. on Friday.
Berkeley Springs fire units were also responding to a multiple-vehicle accident on Martinsburg Road, but took over command of the fire scene once they arrived at the location, off of Pious Ridge Road.
The house was fully engulfed when fire personnel arrived, said Assistant Chief James Steiner.
"The house was on the ground," he said.
He described the structure as a small house that had burned very quickly.
The fire was under control within the hour, though
personnel stayed on the
scene for more than four hours. Firefighters discovered the burned body after they had knocked the fire down, Steiner said.
In addition to Berkeley Springs, other fire companies responded from Great Cacapon and South Morgan. The Morgan County Rescue Service was also on the scene.
The West Virginia Fire Marshal's office is investigating the cause of the mid-day fire.
Coroner will ID body
Sheriff Vince Shambaugh said it will take more than a month for the Coroner's Officer to positively identify the remains found in the home. He said there have been speculations about the identity of the deceased, but nothing he can confirm officially.
"There have been a lot of people who have lived there over the years," Shambaugh said.
Deputy Wade Shambaugh is the investigating officer in the case. Anyone with information can contact the Morgan County Sheriff's Department at 304-258-1067.
Multiple fires last week
Local firefighters had responded to a house fire earlier in the week in Colonial Village at 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, December 9.
Steiner said the two-story home at 342 Rosewood Lane was "fully involved" when responders arrived. Two pickup trucks were also burned in the fire. The owners were not home at the time of the blaze. A neighbor called 911 to report the fire.
The house was a total loss, Steiner said. He contacted the Red Cross to provide assistance to the homeowners.
The State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.
In addition to units from Berkeley Springs, volunteer personnel from Reynold's Store, Gainesboro, Great Cacapon, Hancock and South Morgan responded to the fire. Firefighters were on the scene for four hours.
Another call early on Friday morning brought firefighters to the county's Magistrate Court building to investigate a report of visible smoke.
Steiner said the cause of the smoke was a malfunctioning furnace in the county building, and there was no damage to the property.
