BUCKHANNON – Three people were taken to the hospital with unknown injuries following a structure fire Monday at a residence on Thurman Avenue.
Upshur EMS transported three people to St. Joseph’s Hospital for medical evaluation after a fire broke out at 23 Thurman Ave. just before 10 a.m. Monday morning.
Buckhannon Fire Chief J.B. Kimble said the house was deemed a total loss, but the cause was undetermined pending an investigation by the West Virginia State Fire Marshal. Kimble said only one room in the house was livable because the door was shut. He wanted to remind community members to keep their doors shut when they sleep as a safety precaution.
“It keeps all that heat and the gases from entering that room, especially if you’re in there sleeping,” Kimble said. “Eventually, it’ll burn through, but all the smoke was going in a different direction because that door was shut. Eventually, it will burn the door down, but that bedroom was livable. The one where the door was open was not.”
The Buckhannon Fire Department was dispatched to the fire at 9:50 a.m., and they were on scene at 9:54 a.m. The fire was under control by 10:15 a.m., and three people were transferred to the hospital by Upshur EMS with unknown injuries. Their status was unknown at the time of writing.
In addition to Upshur EMS and the Buckhannon Fire Department, Adrian Volunteer Department and Washington Volunteer Fire Company responded to the scene.
