(Photo by Shelley Hanson) A West Bellaire home on First Street is destroyed and a second badly damaged during a fire on Sunday. Firefighters’ efforts were greatly hampered because fire hydrants in the neighborhood were not working.

BELLAIRE — Firefighters in two different Ohio Valley communities — Bellaire and Moundsville — battled major blazes over the weekend.

On Sunday in West Bellaire, firefighters battled a fire on First Street that impacted three homes.

Bellaire Fire Chief Tim Bell said one home was fully involved when firefighters arrived on the scene, but their efforts were greatly hampered because fire hydrants in the neighborhood were not working.

“We had no water. We had to call the tanker task force,” Bell said. “Then once we got water established up there we had a few water breaks so we had to fully depend on the tanker task force.”

The fire call came in at 10:09 a.m. Bell said when firefighters first arrived there was heavy fire coming out of the basement and second story floor. He noted the second house caught on fire when the waterline breaks occurred after getting water established.

“We were without water for 20 minutes. So we got the tanker task force established and got good water and we could actually make a good knock-down on the fire,” he said.

Bell said no residents or firefighters were injured.

“Everybody got out safe,” he said. “Me and one of the police officers of Bellaire ended up having to carry a woman in a wheelchair out of that house when we first got here,” he said. “Once we got water it went smooth and we got the fire out.”

Bell said firefighters tried to get three hydrants to work but they could not get them open. He blamed their condition on a lack of maintenance.

A fourth hydrant worked, but then a waterline broke.

The first house was destroyed. The second house has major damage. The third house has some damage to its siding, but did not have any smoke damage.

Meanwhile, the Moundsville Volunteer Fire Department battled blazes at two different homes in the 1100 block of Second Street on Saturday.

“Units arrived on scene to find two structures on fire,” according to the Moundsville VFD. “An aggressive offensive attack was made. Command advised units to evacuate the structure and use defensive operations.”

The department used two engines and a ladder truck. They were assisted by the Moundsville Fire Department, Moundsville Police Department, Marshall County EMS, Glen Dale Fire Department, Roberts Ridge Volunteer Department and Marshall County Animal Control. Other departments were on standby.

“Thank you to all residents and businesses that donated refreshments to our firefighters,” the VFD noted.

Tom Hart, director of the Marshall County Emergency Management Agency, said the 911 call came in at 7:24 p.m. Saturday.