CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Separate arson investigations are underway on the West Side following a rash of fires that began Sunday evening.
The first blaze at 6:40 p.m. Sunday caused significant damage at a house under renovation on Red Oak Street. A separate blaze destroyed two houses and damaged two others in the 1500 block of 2nd Ave. early Monday morning.
It’s believed the fires were intentionally set, according to Charleston Fire Department Captain Mike Shank.
“We had some eyewitness accounts and things of that nature that caused us to believe there might have been someone there who might have wanted to set a fire or two,” Shank said.
Investigators don’t believe the arsons are connected, Shank said.
“There’s always a chance but right at this time there’s no evidence to link the two,” he said.
Samples were taken at both scenes in hopes of determining if an accelerant was used. The samples will be sent to the West Virginia State Police Crime Lab.
There were no injuries. Six people living in two of the four houses on 2nd Ave. were able to get out safely in the fire that began at 2 a.m. The other two houses were not occupied.
The houses on 2nd Ave. are only about eight feet apart so Shank said the flames spread quickly.
“Once the first house got started—and it was windy last night so the conditions were right to push the fire into the exposures,” he said.
The Charleston Police Department is assisting in the investigation.