MARTINS FERRY, OH — Firefighters responded to an early morning house fire on North Seventh Street in Martins Ferry on Monday, October 12, with all occupants reportedly escaping the residence safely.
The fire was reported around 6:22 a.m., prompting a response from multiple emergency crews.
The first arriving fire chief reported smoke coming from the front of a two-story residence and requested that the incident be upgraded to a working structure fire.
Firefighters quickly began attacking the flames, with crews entering the home to locate and extinguish the fire.
By approximately 6:36 a.m., firefighters reported that the bulk of the flames had been knocked down. However, crews continued working inside the residence to extinguish hot spots and check for fire spreading into concealed areas.
Additional fire apparatus were requested from Stations 19 and 22 as crews continued operations.
Firefighters encountered significant heat on the second floor and opened windows to help ventilate the structure.
American Electric Power and the gas company were also called to the scene. By approximately 7:25 a.m., both electricity and gas service had been shut off to the home as a safety precaution.
Crews continued monitoring smoke coming from the attic area and requested additional personnel to assist with operations on the second floor.
A thermal imaging drone was also deployed to examine the roof and identify any remaining hot spots.
By 7:57 a.m., responding units from Stations 19 and 22 were returning to their stations, and emergency medical services were being released from the scene.
Firefighters continued cleanup operations into the morning, packing hoses and equipment by approximately 8:26 a.m.
Initial reports indicated that everyone inside the home was able to escape safely. No injuries were reported in the available emergency radio updates.
The extent of the damage and the cause of the fire have not yet been confirmed.
River News will provide additional information as it becomes available.
