Number of vehicle fires in the area at a high

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) - Over June, the Westover Volunteer Fire Department responded to five vehicle fires.

Westover Volunteer Fire Department Chief Kenny Goodwin said this was not normal for them. Typically they averaged roughly 10 vehicle fires a year.

“It seems like a high number of vehicle fires. I don’t believe it’s anything more than a coincidence. It just seems like this has been abnormally busy for car fires,” he explained.

However, there didn’t seem to be a pattern with the vehicles that have recently caught on fire.

The department responded to incidents for cars of a wide range of years and models.

“Most of them were in the engine compartment. The occupants all claimed. You know that the vehicle lost power or smelled something burning. It appeared to be wear and tear,” Goodwin added.

But it’s not just Westover that had multiple vehicle fires. There were several reports of vehicle fires in Harrison County as well.

Copyright 2022 WDTV. All rights reserved.