CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — The West Virginia Fire Commission issued a cease-and-desist order for Summit Park Volunteer Fire Department in Harrison County Friday.
The order means the department cannot reopen until several conditions are met and the fire commission approves the reinstatement.
Summit Park voluntarily closed its doors in February after several complaints had been lodged.
Acting state Fire Marshall Tony Carrico began an investigation in late-February after criticism arose from Summit Park’s response to the collapse of two cell phone towers in Harrison County Feb. 1.
Some of the complaints have come from the family of late firefighter Michael Garrett who was a member of the Nutter Fort Volunteer Fire Department. Garrett was killed when a second tower collapsed after emergency crews arrived at the scene.
Summit Park’s new fire chief Greg Cutwright emailed a response statement to the Clarksburg Exponent newspaper Friday.
“After meeting with the West Virginia Fire Commission … the Summit Park Fire Department has entered into a voluntary decertification until all deficiencies are addressed and corrected by reorganization or restructuring. This is the only official statement that will be released by the Summit Park Fire Department,” Cutwright said.