CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Three houses, two of them abandoned, sustained significant damage in a Wednesday afternoon fire in Charleston.
The blaze was first reported at just before 4 p.m. on Bigley Avenue near Glen Street. The flames quickly spread to two houses nearby. One of those was occupied and everyone got out safely.
Charleston Fire Captain David Hodges said initial reports received by fire crews indicated there was a woman trapped in one of the homes, but that was not the case.
“She was not in fact entrapped, however she was in her home and firefighters were able to safely remove her from her home with no injuries,” Capt. Hodges said.
There were no other injuries reported.
When fire crews arrived on scene, they discovered one structure to be “well off with fire.” Captain Hodges said one of the structures was ruled a total loss.
“It has since been demolished,” said Hodges. “The other two structures suffered significant damage.”
The houses are located not far from the northbound lanes of I-77/I-79 heading out of Charleston. The smoke could be seen throughout much of the city.
Hodges said there is no known cause and the fire is under investigation by the Charleston Fire Department and the state Fire Marshal’s Office.