Parkersburg firefighters attempt to extinguish a house fire on 37th Street in Parkersburg on Wednesday. (Photo by Gwen Sour)
PARKERSBURG – A fire broke out at 1100 37th St. in Parkersburg around 1:59 p.m. Wednesday.
According to Parkersburg Fire Chief Jason Matthews, the fire started in the grass in front of the house and then ignited two trees in front of the house. From there, the fire spread to the attic of the house.
Tyler Southall said he was walking down the street at the time the fire started. Southall knocked on the door, and when there was no answer, he kicked the door until the occupants of the home answered.
“I went and knocked on the door, but no one answered.” Southall said: “So I started kicking the door down. She was panicking because she thought someone was breaking into her house and I said, ‘Miss, your house is on fire, you have to go, you have to go!'”
All residents were able to leave the house safely, the fire department said.
The Parkersburg police and fire department as well as the WVU Camden Clark emergency service were on scene.
The cause of the fire is currently still the subject of internal fire department investigations.
Gwen Sour can be reached at [email protected].
