By Stephen Smoot
For several hours last Tuesday, firefighting crews from two Pendleton County departments labored to get a furious blaze under control, protecting lives and property in the process.
Late that afternoon, according to a Facebook post shared by the South Fork Volunteer Fire Department, a family pet sparked a series of events that led to the efficient and effective response. The neighbor posted “when your dog keeps nudging you to look outside – do it!”
She shared that one of the photographs that she posted represented when she first saw the blaze. Even at that point, the building was completely engulfed with furious flames reaching toward the sky.
She then added “It was very scary that close with all the explosions going on. Once there was a fire truck between our house and the fire, it made me feel more comfortable.”
The structure that caught fire served as a storage building for a number of flammable and hazardous materials, including motor oil and old tires. Containers engulfed by flames caused “multiple explosions” within the building, enhancing the danger to crews and surrounding buildings. Owners of the building also lost irreplaceable items of value in the fire.
South Fork Volunteer Fire Department responded first with Franklin Volunteer Fire Department coming to assist. From the county seat came Engine 22 with a crew of four. The crew connected hoses to hydrants and supported Tanker 45 from SFVFD.
On scene, they confronted dangers both visible and hidden. Motor oil burned inside the structure and ran out from it. Oil flows “heavily contaminated” many hoses and a large amount of equipment used during the fire. Brian DiFalco’s report for FVFD stated that the equipment “is currently being assessed to determine what is able to be cleaned and returned to service.”
Intense heat caused slight damage to surrounding buildings, but fire crews kept them protected from significant damage. Meanwhile, temperatures in descent from the 30s to the 20s created challenging conditions for firefighters and also the use of water.
For six and a half hours, Engine 22 ensured that all the water that was needed was provided.
As firefighters labored into the night, Fox’s Pizza of Brandywine brought freshly cooked food and drinks from right across the street. According to DiFalco’s report, “special thanks is given to Justin S. Bowers from Franklin who volunteered to bring an excavator to the scene.” He used the machine to help demolish the remnants of the building so that firefighters could get to more of the blaze.
Also, employees of nearby Bowers Garage assisted with traffic control and tending to hoses crossing US 33.
Upper Tract Volunteer Fire Department sent assets to stand by in Franklin while Pendleton County Emergency Rescue treated one civilian for burns and several firefighters for minor injuries sustained. Other agencies and entities in support were the Pendleton County Sheriff’s Department. West Virginia State Police, Pendleton County Office of Emergency Management, Mon Power, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, and West Virginia Department of Highways.
“Through a team effort by all personnel on scene, surrounding structures were saved and the fire was extinguished,” stated DiFalco.
