by Kate Shunney
A blaze that began in a home garage on Saturday, July 11 spread into the adjacent residence, destroying the home and displacing two adults.
The fire, which claimed a home and garage on Tall Pines Lane off Mountain Run Road, was reported around 8 p.m. on Saturday.
Capt. Robert Frey of Berkeley Springs Volunteer Fire Company was command on the scene, and said first responders found the fire had already spread from the garage into the house. Fire had caused the garage roof to collapse and had spread into the void space of the home’s attic, causing the house roof to start falling in.
Frey said a neighbor had called the fire into 911, as the owner said he was not able to call because he only had a landline phone that was disabled by the fire.
According to Frey, the homeowner said he didn’t realize the garage structure was on fire until he looked out the window from his home office on the far side of the house and saw black smoke rising from the garage end of the structure.
Capt. Frey said firefighters initially pulled two fire lines to fight the blaze. Once additional personnel and units arrived on the scene, they pulled a third line to shoot water inside the structure.
Because of recent drought conditions, water was not available near the fire scene and multiple tankers shuttled water from the nearest draft site on Highland Ridge Road.
Firefighters were able to rescue three cats from the home. Two adult residents were displaced and the American Red Cross was called to offer housing and emergency assistance to them. Morgan County Animal Control took the three cats to an emergency veterinarian because the animals were inside during the fire.
Firefighting operations continued until 11:30 p.m. There were no firefighter injuries during the response operation. At least 60 firefighters and emergency personnel were on the scene during the incident.
The house and garage are considered a total loss, said Capt. Frey. Frey said the homeowner told firefighters he had two old cars he was restoring in the garage that he pushed out of the structure when he became aware it was on fire.
Among the units responding to the structure fire were apparatus and personnel from Berkeley Springs, Great Cacapon, South Morgan, Reynold’s Store, Gainesboro, Back Creek Valley, Hedgesville, Bedington, Hancock, Clear Spring, Needmore, Little Orleans, Washington County Rehab, Morgan County EMS and the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office.
