Photo by Derek Redd Firefighters work to contain a lbaze that destroyed a home on Pearl Street in Martins Ferry on Wednesday.

One person is confirmed dead after a Wednesday morning fire destroyed a Pearl Street duplex in Martins Ferry, while damaging others.

Martins Ferry Fire Chief I Justin Smith said Wednesday afternoon that the victim’s family had been notified and there were members of the family on the scene at Pearl Street. Smith did not release any further information on the victim as of Wednesday afternoon.

Smith said his department received a call at 6 a.m. Wednesday from a Pearl Street resident saying the house across the street had suffered an explosion and was on fire. Because multiple houses were involved, the Bridgeport and Colerain fire departments were called in to assist.

The people who occupied the homes on either side of the destroyed residence were able to get out safely, Smith said. The Ohio State Fire Marshal has been called in to investigate.

While there were no visible flames as of later Wednesday morning, fire crews continued to hose down hot spots and pull down wreckage with heavy machinery. Firefighters also employed large fans to drive out the steam that came from hosing down the rubble in the cold weather.

The homes on either side of the destroyed building were severely damaged and the vinyl siding of the home across the street was melted, as was part of the back bumper of a parked car.