MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Fire marshals are blaming arsonists for 4 of 6 Morgantown fires in a 24 hour period. Between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. Thursday, firefighters responded to 3 trash or dumpster fires and an apartment fire.
According to Captain Ken Tennant, a dumpster was set on fire at 1 a.m. at the corner of 41/2 and Irwin Streets.
At 1:52 a.m., someone set fire to a dumpster in the alley behind 529 McLane Avenue.
A duplex apartment was reported on fire two minutes later at 112 Third Street. Tennant indicated a couch on the front port was set on fire. The fire caused an estimated $40,000 in damages.
At that time, an incident commander called for an off duty shift of firefighters to report for assistance.
Morgantown Fire Chief Mark Caravasos spoke to MetroNews affiliate WAJR-AM Thursday. “It takes about everything we have to handle a house fire or larger incident,” he said. “When you start compounding that with even small dumpster fires, nuisance fires we look at, or structure fire, it really taps the resources we have and spreads our group thin. It’s not a safe environment for us to work in.”
Meanwhile, an intentionally set fire involving two garbage toters was reported at 2:46 a.m. in front of 412 McLane Avenue.
Fire Marshal Tennant and investigators determined a cord to an air conditioner overheated in a home at 1405 North Willey Street Wednesday evening at 7:06 p.m. That fire caused $70,000 in damages.
The investigation continues into a 3 a.m. fire at a vacant duplex apartment at 539 Beechurst Avenue. The fire caused an estimated $20,000 in damages.
The Morgantown Fire Marshal’s Office is conducting a joint investigation with detectives from the Morgantown Police Department on the fires determined to be arson. Anyone with information about the fires should call the Arson Tip-line at 304-225-3586 or the Morgantown Police Department.