CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A quick response by Charleston fire fighters likely saved a man’s life early Friday morning.
“When crews arrived they made entry through the back door and were able to find one person in one of the back rooms on the first floor,” said Charleston Fire Department Lieutenant Wes Smith. “They got him out successfully.”
Firemen continued to comb through the ashes of the building using an excavator to make sure there were no others inside.
The fire was reported at 4:17 a.m. and fire crews arrived around 4:20 a.m. The building was an old house in the 1400 block of Kanawha Boulevard near the State Capitol which had been converted into a business and formerly served as Capitol Paging. During recent times however, the building was boarded up and had become a magnet for the homeless who were staying there. The building had was a problem spot for the city and its neighbors..
“This is number four for this structure,” said Smith. “The first one was in January 2014 which was a mattress fire and was probably accidental. It appears the last three are actually set fires.”
Charleston Police detained one person of interest in the case and held them for questioning. So far no charges have been filed.
Crews planned to demolish the building once a thorough search was completed for any other potential victims.
“At this point it’s absolutely beyond repair,” said Smith. “The roof is pretty well gone, the third floor has collapsed into the second floor and there’s heavy damage on the second floor. Even if you were able to rehab the building, it would take a lot.”