Man Dies as Fire Consumes Log Cabin in Belmont County
A man died in a house fire early Saturday in Belmont County.
Cumberland Trail Fire District Chief John Slavik said the call was dispatched to firefighters at 2:36 a.m. that a two-story log home was on fire. The house was located at 48705 Stonehouse Road, Midway.
Slavik said surveillance video captured by a neighbor’s house showed at 2 a.m. “a big ball of fire, but no one woke up to call.”
Upon firefighters arriving at the scene, the home’s roof was gone and the first floor had collapsed into the basement. Because of the intensity of the fire there was no way for the firefighters to enter the structure, Slavik said.
“Everything was consumed,” he said, noting the home was built in the 1980s.
The Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office said the fire was “undetermined in origin,” Slavik said.
“We had a great water supply, but that didn’t help in this situation,” he said. “The fire went undetected for quite some time so we’re not able to determine if smoke detectors were in operation or not.”
Slavik said Midway is located between Maynard and Fairpoint, although the people who live there have St. Clairsville mailing addresses.
Slavik said he could not release the victim’s name and referred that question to the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office and county coroner’s office. Sheriff Dave Lucas said since no foul play was suspected in the fire death, the coroner’s office would be the agency to release the victim’s name.
Attempts to reach officials with the coroner’s office were unsuccessful.
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