Man saves son in W.Va. blaze

January 04, 1998

Man saves son in W.Va. blaze

FALLING WATERS, W.Va. - A 35-year-old man was hospitalized for smoke inhalation and burns after carrying his son from a burning house early Sunday morning.

Mike Kenny was in stable condition at City Hospital in Martinsburg Sunday night, according to a nursing supervisor. Bedington Volunteer Fire Co. Chief Robbie Robinson said Kenny suffered first- and second-degree burns to his arms, face and back, but the more serious concern was smoke inhalation.

Robinson said Kenny's 4-year-old son woke his father up and told him the house was on fire. Kenny wrapped the boy in a blanket and crawled through the smoke and flames to safety.

The son was not injured. Robinson said he did not know the boy's name.

The fire was reported at 12:02 a.m. and destroyed the one-story frame house and its contents. Robinson said the loss was about $25,000.

"We're not positive, but it appears it was electrical," Robinson said of the cause. He said investigators spent several hours at the house Sunday and that the fire was definitely accidental.

Kenny and another man were living at the house in exchange for doing repairs to the property, according to Robinson. The other man was not home at the time. Robinson said he did not have the name of the owner of the house.

- Don Aines

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