Firefighters battle blaze and elements

PARSONS -- The Parsons Volunteer Fire Department was forced to battle the elements along with a serious structure fire late Tuesday evening on Little Bull Run off the Jonathan Run Road.

Parsons Fire Chief Kevin White told The Inter-Mountain on Wednesday that it took his firefighters and members from the Rowlesburg Fire Department close to two and a half hours to extinguish a two-story house fire at the remote location.

"The fire was at an unused old farm house that was on some property where some people had built a new home," White said. "The people who owned it did use it for storage and stuff like that. So it did have electricity, water and a propane stove hooked up."

White said that the house was a total loss. He said no injuries occurred as a result of the fire.

White said the early morning storm that hit the region Tuesday with snow and ice made it tricky getting to the site where the fire was located.

"The road leading to the house where the fire was located has a steep incline and it's kind of a single-lane type deal," said White. "In the area where the house is, it's on the side of the hill in a holler. There's not a lot anyone can do to maintain the road in that area, so it was very icy and slick." 

Although it was a difficult task getting to the burning structure, White said his department was able to make it and called in Rowlesburg for assistance.

"We got into it, it was just difficult traveling and the terrain and area location made it tough," said White. "We did have Rowlesburg come and they helped shuttle water with a tanker they brought. That was the main reason for mutual aid. We needed a little additional water because unfortunately the house is out where there are no fire hydrants."

White said one concern he had while battling the fire was the propane tanks that were sitting outside the house.

"There were propane tanks involved that were used as one of the heating mechanisms and for cooking in the house," said White. "We had to just cool them down a little bit, but they didn't explode or anything like that."