All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

This is definitely a drill: West Virginia firefighters practice blaze-battling tactics in Camden Avenue apartments

Lt. Linn Baxa during a drill at Wesleyan's Camden Apartments Friday.

BUCKHANNON — Approximately 30 West Virginia firefighters — including 11 from Upshur County — attended a two-day training session Thursday and Friday, June 27-28, in the soon-to-be razed Camden Avenue Apartments.

West Virginia Wesleyan College plans to tear down buildings and turn the area into a green space in the near future. So, instructors from three states — including the Buckhannon Fire Department’s own Capt. Joey Baxa — took advantage of the opportunity to train.

A group photo of training attendees.

Baxa said Andy Starnes of Charlotte, North Carolina, owns the company, Insight Training, which headed up the two-day training, and that he, Thomas Anderson of North Carolina, and Jacob Latson of Michigan, served as instructors.

“The class was capped at 30 students from Buckhannon, Adrian, Wheeling, Bridgeport, Clarksburg, Belington, Charleston and Dunbar,” Baxa said. “Buckhannon had 11 students.”

Dummies were utilized as fire rescue victims during the two-day training.

Buckhannon Fire Chief J.B. Kimble said Friday, firefighters were in the midst of practicing a drill called vent, enter, isolate and search.

Smoke rose out of a barrel that was filled with hay and lit on fire to simulate an atmosphere in which would be extremely difficult to see due to smoke and haze.

Lt. Linn Baxa holds a ladder for another firefighter during Friday’s vent, enter, isolate and search drill.
A firefighter rescues a ‘victim’ from Camden Avenue apartments during Friday’s training session.

Share this story:

Local Businesses

RECENT Stories

Football Bucs look to rebound against Lincoln Friday night

Buckhannon-Upshur seeks to bounce back from a 34-31 loss as they visit 3-4 Lincoln Friday, with Coach Sloan Baisden stressing recovery, expanded offensive support for QB Dawson Tenney and defensive focus on Lincoln QB A.J. Bart.

Carpenter Crunch Time Week 9: So just who was the best football coach at B-U?

Sports columnist Duane Carpenter ranks Buckhannon-Upshur’s top five football coaches—topping Granville Zopp, Joe Michael, Jack Pack, Mike Michael and Eddie Vincent—then recaps weekly game picks, standings and reader contest results.

#1 Auto Sales to kick off year two of “Jam the Van!” a Christmas clothing and toy drive for local kids

#1 Auto Sales launches the second annual “Jam the Van” drive Oct. 20–Dec. 6, collecting new clothing, toys and diapers for the Salvation Army Angel Tree while inviting donors to decorate a van.

Soccer ‘Cats earn 2-2 draw with West Liberty

West Virginia Wesleyan rallied twice to earn a 2–2 draw with West Liberty at Culpepper Stadium, with Erik Rostoen scoring early and Aidan Clayton equalizing in the 74th minute.

Strong second half lifts Wesleyan women to 3-1 win over Glenville State

West Virginia Wesleyan’s women’s soccer team rallied with two second-half goals to beat Glenville State 3-1, outshooting the Pioneers 20-2 and moving to 6-6-2 overall and fourth in the MEC South.

Albert Ray Simmons

Albert Ray Simmons, 84, of Buckhannon, WV, a Vietnam veteran, former Ford and SDS Plumbing worker, husband of Judy, and member of Masonic Lodge #737, died October 20, 2025, after an extended illness; a celebration of life will be Nov. 15.

Arnold Wesley Sayre

Arnold Wesley Sayre, 91, of Buckhannon, WV, a retired WVWC electronics technician and lifelong amateur radio operator known as W8WVM, died October 22, 2025; he is survived by his wife, Doris Armstrong Sayre, and brother Ralph H. Sayre.

Jack Reger announces his candidacy for State Senate

Jack Reger, a lifelong educator and current Buckhannon city councilman, announced his run for West Virginia Senate District 11 as a Republican. Reger pledges to prioritize education, local control, jobs, infrastructure and protections for gun rights and family values.

Buckhannon Community Theatre brings “Puffs” to the Colonial Arts Center this weekend

Buckhannon Community Theatre opens its fall production of Puffs Oct. 23–26 at the Colonial Arts Center, a comedic homage to a famous wizarding saga told from the Puffs’ perspective. Local cast members say the show is a laugh-out-loud, community experience. Please note that Puffs is rated R for strong language and suggestive humor.