Firefighters: Water supply issues delay initial response to house fire

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -Charleston firefighters battled a house fire on Friday and faced challenges due to water quality issues.

The fire was reported in the 800 block of Chester Road on Friday just before 11:30 p.m.

Firefighters saw heavy smoke when they arrived on the scene.

A second crew of firefighters attempted to connect to a fire hydrant located at Chester Road and Lower Chester Road to create a water supply.

CFD said the hydrant had minimal water flow and decided to connect to another hydrant.

The same issue with a hydrant on Beech Ave. and Maple Rd, according to CFD.

Firefighters accessed a third hydrant more than 1,600′ away at Edgewood Drive.

All of our Fire Department resources were in place—however, we experienced significant challenges accessing a sustainable water source,” said Fire Chief Craig Matthews.

“My thoughts are with the family during this difficult time,” said Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin. “The Charleston Fire Department responded with urgency and purpose – and our firefighters were in position to put out the fire. However, they experienced a significant delay in being able to establish an adequate water source. This is unacceptable. Rest assured, the City and our Fire Department will ensure West Virginia American Water takes all steps necessary to make sure hydrants across the city are in good working order. Doing so is paramount to public safety and the safety of our firefighters.”

WSAZ reached out to West Virginia American Water for comment.

A spokesperson said the company “was unable to comment at this time.”

The home received significant damage and no injuries to residents or firefighters were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the CFD – Fire Prevention Bureau.

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