NEW INFORMATION: State of Emergency Declared for Wood County

Key Points:

• A warehouse fire at Peoples Cartage, Inc. in Parkersburg, West Virginia, began on July 4 when cardboard boxes caught fire; although initially contained, the fire reignited early July 5 and spread to three connected warehouses, causing significant damage.
• Governor Patrick Morrisey declared a State of Emergency for Wood County, mobilizing state resources to support firefighting efforts, protect public safety, and monitor environmental impacts, including air quality and potential runoff into the Little Kanawha River.
• Firefighting efforts involve multiple regional fire departments, with the Lubeck Volunteer Fire Department leading; crews are using water pumped from the river and additional equipment from Pittsburgh to combat the fire, which remains partially uncontrolled but contained to the back half of the facility.
• Residents within a wide area are under shelter-in-place orders due to potentially toxic smoke from burning plastic materials; the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. EPA are conducting air quality monitoring to assess health risks.
• Peoples Cartage, Inc. CEO Doug Sibila confirmed no injuries have occurred, emphasized cooperation with authorities, and stated the company’s commitment to transparency as the fire cause remains under investigation.