Resident, 2 firefighters injured during blaze
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BELINGTON -- Two Belington Volunteer Fire Department firefighters, including Chief Phil Hart, and a female resident were injured in a house fire around 5:30 p.m. Saturday when a blaze erupted at a Talbott Road residence.
Several fire departments were dispatched to a structure fire Saturday evening with a confirmed entrapment on Talbott Road inside Belington city limits, the BVFD posted online.
"Station 3 (Belington VFD) responded with two full-staffed engines in less than two minutes and were on scene in less than four minutes from dispatch," the post states. "Firefighters encountered heavy smoke and fire conditions upon arrival.
"Two firefighters from the first arriving engine entered the residence conducted a primary search, locating a female victim trapped inside the residence. Firefighters were able to remove her from the residence and provided first aid measures with the assistance of EMS."
The post states two firefighters suffered smoke inhalation injuries during the rescue, with one being transported via helicopter -- which landed on the Belington bridge -- to Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, while the second was transported to a local hospital and later released.
In a separate social media post Saturday evening, Heather Johnson, Hart's daughter, stated both her father and the other firefighter were doing well. She said Hart was kept at Ruby Memorial Hospital overnight for continued monitoring, but "everything is looking good at this time.”
The woman rescued from the residence was flown via air medical and is currently recovering in a hospital.
"We would like to thank Stations 2, 4, 44, 17, 16, Belington Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, the Barbour County Sheriff's Department, HealthNet, the West Virginia State Fire Marshal's Office and Barbour 911 for their assistance this evening," the post states. "Without this teamwork, this could have had a far worse outcome."