UPDATE: State of emergency declared over fire at Peoples Cartage
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UPDATE: Representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection are on the scene of the fire. Air quality monitors have been set up, and officials say no warnings have been issued at this time. The potential impact on the nearby Little Kanawha River will also be monitored, state officials said.
PARKERSBURG 鈥� A state of emergency has been declared in Wood County as fire crews continue to battle a blaze at the Peoples Cartage facility just outside Parkersburg.
The Wood County Sheriff鈥檚 Office announced it was enacting a secure perimeter around the large Camden Avenue site 鈥渢o ensure public safety and allow emergency crews to work without interruption.鈥�
Everybody except first responders and individuals authorized by incident command are to 鈥渟tay clear of the area,鈥� the sheriff鈥檚 office said in a release on its Facebook page. The boundaries of the perimeter are from Elder Street to the Little Kanawha River, from Elder Street down Camden Avenue to Murray Lane and along the river between Elder Street and Murray Lane.
The release also advised people to monitor official channels 鈥渇or further updates or evacuation orders.鈥�
A release from West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey鈥檚 office announced the state of emergency.
鈥淧rotecting the people of Wood County and supporting the brave first responders on the scene are our top priorities,鈥� Morrisey said in the release. 鈥淭his 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.鈥�
Billowing black smoke has been visible from miles away including from north of Marietta.
"It's being treated as an all-county fire so we have representatives or members from all of our county agencies," a Wood County 911 Center supervisor said.
The initial call came in at 5:31 a.m. and people were evacuated from the building, the supervisor said.
It was the second call of the weekend to the complex of warehouse facilities. On Saturday, the Deerwalk, East Wood, Lubeck, Mineral Wells and Parkersburg fire departments responded to what turned out to be a smaller fire with a lot of smoke inside, according to Pete McMullen, firefighter/treasurer with the Mineral Wells Volunteer Fire Department.
The source was determined to be a box of plastic material that had combusted, something that can happen with that substance, McMullen said. A sprinkler system in the warehouse activated, resulting in a good deal of smoke, but keeping the fire from spreading.
"That's what saved it for everybody," McMullen said.
McMullen noted WVU Medicine Camden Clark Ambulance Service also responded but there were no injuries related to the fire or Saturday's extreme heat.