Video from Gage Stephens
PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — Gov. Patrick Morrisey declared a state of emergency late Sunday afternoon in connection with the Peoples Cartage warehouse building fire on Camden Ave. in Parkersburg.
The move frees up state resources in continuing response to the blaze.
“Protecting the people of Wood County and supporting the brave first responders on the scene are our top priorities,” Morrisey said in a statement a couple of hours after visiting the site. “This State of Emergency ensures every available state resource is ready to assist local officials for as long as necessary while we continue monitoring conditions and protecting nearby communities.”
The response includes multiple units within the state DEP. Morrisey said air quality monitoring at the scene has shown no need for additional action but the monitoring will continuing. The federal EPA is providing additional monitoring equipment.
“People should know that we are taking this incident seriously and approaching it with an abundance of caution,” Morrisey said. “I appreciate the extraordinary work of our firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency personnel, and environmental teams. We will continue supporting them until this fire is extinguished and the community is safe.”
Wood County Commissioner David Blair Couch told MetroNews the original fire at the warehouse on Camden Avenue began around 11 a.m. Saturday in one section of the building. He said the fire apparently rekindled overnight and spread throughout the rest of the warehouse.
Couch said a significant amount of manpower is being used to battle the fire.
“We have a lot of responding agencies, I think a total of 23, there putting water on the fire as fast as they can, we have some weather rolling in so that will change the dynamic,” Couch said.
Couch said the warehouse served as a storage facility for materials belonging to other companies.
He also said officials are working to determine the cause of the fire.
“There still trying to determine, I know that we had Ken Tyree, who is the West Virginia Fire Marshal on site with his crew, and they are beginning their investigation,” Couch said.
Couch said the American Red Cross and United Way are prepared to open shelters if needed, but officials do not anticipate that will be necessary.
Couch said officials are accepting donations of bottled water for crews battling the fire. He said those wanting to donate can take donations to your local fire stations.
Couch said, based on the information he has received, crews could be battling the fire for a week or longer.
“I’d say based on discussions with volunteer firearm and the others it’s probably at least a seven-day fire, if not longer,” he said.
Drone Video from Gage Stephens
MetroNews reporter Jeff Jenkins contributed to this story.