A Hancock family lost everything in a house fire on Thursday afternoon, January 11, off of Western Pike.
According to the State Fire Marshal, the call came in at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday afternoon for a structure fire, which was a one-story single-family dwelling, located in the 3200 block of Western Pike, west of Hancock.
Thirty-five firefighters from Hancock, Orleans, Berkeley Springs, Needmore, and Great Cacapon, as well as Hancock Rescue Squad and Morgan County Rescue Squad, responded to the scene.
It took firefighters about a half hour to get the fire under control, the Fire Marshal’s Office said in a notice of investigation release.
The Fire Marshal said the area of origin for the fire was a living room wall and was accidental in cause due to
electrical malfunction at the receptacle. They named the owners of the property as Kenneth and Debbie Bowman.
The total estimated loss was $175,000.
The family is being assisted by the American Red Cross and an online fundraising effort has been started for the Bowmans.
