The Parsons Volunteer Fire Department responded to a structure fire on Thursday, April 10 at approximately 3:30 p.m. in the Holly Meadows area. The home of Van and Julie Witt was reported to be on fire by a neighbor.
The residents were not at home when the fire broke out, neighbor Lora Bohon, had just gotten home and saw smoke coming from the home. She knew there were pets inside, so she tried to get a dog through a window but did not succeed. The PVFD arrived and got the dog safely from the residence.
The fire was located at 8947 Holly Meadows Road and units from the PVFD were assisted by crews from Thomas, with four men, Davis with three men and Leading Creek, with five men. Tucker County EMS was also on the scene along with two units from the Parsons Detachment of the West Virginia State Police. There were no injuries to the residents of the home. Kevin White, PVFD Chief, stated that EMS assisted in the welfare of the firefighters, keeping an eye on their vital signs. They were on the scene for approximately two and one half hours. The fire was contained to the area of origin and seemed to be of an unknown electrical nature.
White said, “Our guys did a great job on the original knockdown of the fire and the additional manpower was a great help to keep the fire contained.” White also said that in a rural area such as ours it is a great asset to have the other fire companies to rely on. White stated, “Since we are all volunteer units, most of our members have jobs elsewhere, it is imperative to work together as a team and all companies come through in a pinch.”
Mt. Grove was on standby for Thomas and Canaan Valley was on standby for Davis. According to White, damage to the home and contents was estimated to be approximately $40,000.