Blazing Brush Fire Rages for Hours in Wheeling
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WHEELING -- A small grass fire on Wagner Street exploded into an intense, stubborn blaze that burned an undetermined number of acres in the Fulton and North Park neighborhoods of Wheeling late Friday afternoon.
Wheeling firefighters spent several hours battling flames and hot spots as high winds whipped through the area. Heavy smoke spread across the valley and flames could be seen from Interstate 70 as the fire grew. Curious onlookers and worried residents of both neighborhoods watched anxiously as flames spread through the dry brush on the hillside.
Firefighters dragging hose lines had to climb the steep hillside on Wagner Street to reach portions of the burning brush and trees. Pumper trucks stationed on the street were positioned to spray water onto the hillside as additional crews worked on top of the hill to contain the flames.
At one point, a loud explosion was heard on the hillside.
Portions of the North Park area were without power during the fire as some power lines were affected by the blaze.
Eric Noel was working with a customer outside Taylor's Pre-Owned Autos at 430 National Road, which is across the street from the initial site of the fire. Noel said his customer noticed flames on the hillside on Wagner Street. The flames were growing rapidly, he added.
"I noticed I had red flag warning on my phone this morning … I couldn't believe how fast the fire spread. It was a lot of smoke first then it was raging, 5- to 6-feet-tall flames," Noel said.
Noel said someone on the street was heard to say they saw a boy run "up out of the woods" as the flames appeared. However, the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Fire Chief Larry Helms said he did not believe any structures were damaged.
Although flames did not reach their homes, residents in the North Park area endured smoky conditions throughout the evening. The signs of charred trees and grass were obvious in the woods behind the large apartment complex.
"We could see the flames coming up the hill. It was pretty frightening," Hawk Court resident George Nicholson said.
Fire trucks clogged the streets of the North Park community as fire crews raced to drag hose lines over the hill to head off the flames before they reached the North Park Apartments.
A second alarm was called at the height of the fire which brought off-duty fire fighters into cover the rest of the city in the event of another fire or other emergencies. Crews on the fire grounds battled heat and dehydration as the temperature was near 80 at the time of the fire. One resident in North Park complained of shortness of breath and was transported to a local hospital.
Firefighters said officials with the West Virginia Division of Forestry would be called to evaluate the damage.