MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. — Firefighters from Monongalia and Marion counties spent about an hour battling a barn fire on U.S. 19 that killed several horses on Thursday.
Capt. D. Rinehart, with River Road Volunteer Fire Department, said eight horses were in the barn and did not escape the fire.
The barn was between Hagans Road and what is known as the Ridge, about nine miles out of Westover and about a half-mile from the Marion County line.
Rinehart said the call came out about 3:20 p.m. and by the time the department got there, the structure was completely on fire. She said it took about an hour to an hour-and-a-half to get the blaze under control and there were several challenges in the fight.
Trucks had to be parked in front of the house and hoses dragged behind it and through thick mud, about a foot deep in some places, through the horse pen to the stables.
“It was definitely a challenge,” Firefighter Dan Hoffman said.
The cause of the fire wasn’t immediately clear and Rinehart said the State Fire Marshal was called to investigate.
The fire did not spread beyond the mostly-steel building which partially collapsed.
Southbound traffic on U.S. 19 was backed up as far Arnettsville United Methodist Church at times. Deputies from the Monongalia and Marion County Sheriff Departments directed traffic while the firefighters did their job.
Rivesville VFD, Granville FD, Cassville VFD, Barrackville VFD, Westover VFD, Grant Town VFD and Mon Health EMS also responded to the fire.