Photo by Gage Vota Wolfhurst volunteer fire department assistant fire chief Kevin Roberts battles the flames on the second story of an abandoned house.

WOLFHURST – A structural fire at an abandoned house led multiple fire departments to respond to Beal Street on Friday morning.

Wolfhurst Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Kevin Roberts said the initial crew found smoke coming from the eaves on all four sides of the home. The crew attempted to make entry and made it up the steps to the second floor, where they encountered heavy smoke, intense heat and obstacles that led them to evacuate.

“They went defensive due to a water break in the area. We didn’t have an initial water supply and were relying on water from our engines,” Roberts said. “All of the crews were able to keep the fire contained to the second floor on the west side of the structure.”

Due to the water break, the Belmont County Tanker Task Force had two tankers on scene to supply water.

The Bridgeport Volunteer Fire Department, OR&W Fire District, Cumberland Trail Fire District, Belmont County Emergency Management Agency, Salvation Army canteen and Belmont County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the scene.

Roberts added that the remaining parts of the house have smoke and water damage.

“It’s not a registered occupied house, but people are living there and it’s questionable how they got there,” Roberts said.

Beal Street resident Bethany Wallace said she has attended several Bridgeport Village Council meetings to discuss the alleged squatters.

“This is how it started. The neighbor who lived there passed away, and as soon as that happened, squatters moved right into the house. If you look, there’s trash everywhere, and if you drive by at night, you’ll see they’re burning garbage,” Wallace said. “It’s really frustrating, because this used to be a nice neighborhood when I moved in nine years ago. Unfortunately, squatters have taken over, and no one is doing anything about it.”

She said she plans to continue attending council meetings in hopes of creating a plan to address the issue.

Wallace alleged that squatters are living in multiple homes on Beal Street and said she wants it to stop.

“We’ve even sent certified letters to the homeowners saying, ‘Hey, we’re happy to buy these properties from you, but there are squatters in there,'” Wallace said.

Roberts said there were no fatalities or injuries, and the fire remains under investigation.