Fire causes $100,000 damage to home in Berkeley County

January 06, 2008|By MATTHEW UMSTEAD

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A Friday afternoon fire caused about $100,000 in damage to a ranch-style brick house near Woodbrier Country Club north of Martinsburg, officials said.

No one was injured in the blaze at 190 Topflite Drive, said Andrew DeHaven, chief of the Bedington (W.Va.) Volunteer Fire Department.

Ronald Devall was listed as the owner of the home. His adult son was home when the fire started, but was not injured, DeHaven said.

DeHaven said the fire appeared to be accidental, and determined it began in a bedroom area of the home sometime before firefighters were dispatched at 1:57 p.m.

About one-third of the home had significant damage, and smoke spread throughout, DeHaven said, but the flames did not make it through the roof.

"It was a pretty good stop," DeHaven said.

The cause of the fire was being investigated by the Berkeley County Fire Investigation Team, and DeHaven said an assistant state fire marshal was contacted.

Assisting Bedington volunteers at the scene were members of the Berkeley County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Volunteer firefighters from Hedgesville, W.Va., filled in at the Bedington station until responders cleared the scene about 90 minutes after being dispatched, DeHaven said.

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