10:06am: Talkline with Hoppy Kercheval

One person dead, dozens displaced following Wheeling apartment fire

WHEELING, W.Va. — One person is dead and dozens have been displaced after a fire ripped through a North Wheeling apartment complex Tuesday evening.

“We got a 911 call from somebody inside the apartment saying the second floor was on fire,” Philip Stahl, Public Information Office for the Wheeling Fire Department, said. “There was a report of entrapment. Multiple firefighters rushed to the scene there and immediately tried to extinguish the flames from the outside before they were able to go inside and extinguish that way as well.

“Unfortunately, one person did die in this fire and 37 people who lived in the building were displaced at this time.”

The fire happened at the North Park Apartments on Eagle Court on the second floor of Building 1. Stahl said fire crews were able to get the blaze under control in about 25 minutes and completely out with hot spots within an hour of arriving at the scene.

“The investigation continues today (Wednesday),” he said. “Our investigators were up there trying to pinpoint an origin of the fire and what started it. There were some oxygen tanks inside and around the apartment where the fire is believed to have started that caused a challenge for us. That could have been dangerous if those would have exploded.”

The North Park Apartment complex has five buildings, Building 1 was the only one affected. Stahl said Building 1 had all electricity and utilities shut down following the blaze as a precaution in case the fire rekindled.

“We’re not letting anyone back inside because the fire could have rekindled, which it did last (Tuesday) night. The Red Cross was fortunate enough to come and help those who were displaced find shelter last night. Some stayed with family members, local hotels and churches.

“We had to turn the electricity off in the building to be safe.There is some structural damage too in the area of the apartment where the fire started as well. The floor is sort of cracked, there are a few apartments with heavy fire and smoke damage.”

Stahl said people that have been displaced may be allowed back into Building 1 to gather belongings and maybe even live in the opposite side of the building but right now they are still evaluating the structure as it stands during the investigation.

This was Wheeling’s first fire fatality since 2016.

“We brought in additional manpower to help fight the fire,” he said. “You never know with fires how fast they could spread and how many firefighters you need. It’s obviously a very challenging position. There was a lot of heroism that went on yesterday (Tuesday), rescuing pets and people from windows. The firefighters did an absolutely awesome job containing the fire and helping those out of the building into safety and later personal property.”

The fatality in the fire has not been identified yet.

In a release by the Wheeling Fire Department, no other injuries were reported as Ladder 1, Rescue 1, Engine Co. 2, 4, 5 and Squad 1 all responded to the fire.





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