Parkersburg Warehouse Blaze Prompts Emergency Declaration, Air Monitoring
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Parkersburg, West Virginia — A commercial structure in Parkersburg caught fire after flames erupted at a Peoples Cartage, Inc. warehouse on Saturday morning, then rekindled on Sunday and spread to involve three adjacent warehouses. Wood County Emergency Management urged residents to shelter in place and stay clear of the vicinity while multiple roads were temporarily closed. Videos circulating online showed thick, black smoke and flames visible from a long distance.
Efforts to contain the blaze were still under way as of Sunday, and local authorities had not released information on losses of life or property. Wood County Emergency Management had asked the public to stay clear of the area, and multiple roads remained temporarily closed. Separately, news reports noted a recent large warehouse fire in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles that produced heavy smoke across parts of the metropolitan area.
More context
Timeline
- 1. Saturday morning: Fire started among cardboard boxes at Peoples Cartage warehouse.
- 2. Sunday morning: Blaze rekindled and expanded to involve three warehouses.
- 3. Sunday: Wood County issued shelter-in-place guidance and closed several roads.
- 4. July 5: Governor Patrick Morrisey declared a state of emergency for Wood County.
- 5. July 5: EPA deployed additional air-monitoring equipment to assess environmental impacts.
Why it matters
This fire in Parkersburg could impact your safety and health. If you're in the area, follow the shelter-in-place guidance. Check local news for road closures. If you see or smell smoke, stay indoors and limit outdoor activities.
Sources
JQJO Editorial Desk · Human reviewed · AI assisted. Report a correction.
