UPDATE: 6:30 p.m. August 13, 2022
Wheeling Public Information Officer Philip Stahl has released the following statement:
“No one was injured when a fire engulfed several buildings Saturday afternoon in East Wheeling.
At 12:23 p.m., the Wheeling Fire Department was dispatched to the 1400 block of Jacob Street for a report of a structure fire in the area. When the first responding engine company arrived, heavy smoke and fire was seen coming from the rear of one of the buildings. The fire then spread to 1413 and 1415 Jacob Street, in addition to a structure in the alley.
Due to the heavy fire and close proximity of the buildings, the fire was elevated to a second alarm, prompting additional off-duty Wheeling firefighters and crews from the Glen Dale Fire Department and Cumberland Trail Fire Department in St. Clairsville to assist.
Firefighters were able to get the fire under control in roughly two hours. No properties on 14th or 15th Street were damaged, however, the buildings that did catch fire are likely destroyed.
Wheeling Fire investigators will spend the next several days working to determine an exact cause of the fire.”
UPDATE: 5:00 p.m. August 13, 2022
Wheeling Fire Chief Jim Blazier says all four buildings will likely be total losses.
So you really can’t tell from the street level, but there’s a total of four buildings. So far the American Legion building, we haven’t ascertained exactly, but I’m sure they’ve got a little bit of water and probably some smoke damage, but no fire got into that building that we know of at this point. And also the corner apartment building is unscathed other than maybe some odor of smoke in there.
Chief Jim Blazier, Wheeling Fire Department
He says crews assured that everyone was out as soon as they arrived.
Once the scene is safer, they will officially assess the extent of the damage and find out what caused the fire.
UPDATE: 2:15 p.m. August 13, 2022
7News reporter Taylor Long spoke with Wheeling Fire Department Public Information Officer Phillip Stahl who said multiple houses at 14th and Jacob Streets in East Wheeling were on fire Saturday afternoon.
Photos, videos courtesy of 7News staff, Glynis Board and Josie Fertig.
The houses were occupied. There were no injuries.
Crews are still on scene putting out hotspots. This was an Alarm 2 incident.
The Wheeling Fire Department tweeted that they remained on scene.
Stay with 7News at 6 p.m. and WTRF.com for further updates.
WHEELING, W.Va. (WTRF) — The Wheeling Fire Department is battling a multi-building structure fire on 14th Street in East Wheeling Saturday afternoon.
Authorities have closed 14th and 16th Streets.
Stay with 7News for updates on this developing story.