West Virginia declares emergency as warehouse fire threatens air quality

Air monitors at the scene showed particulate levels above minimum threshold levels Sunday as burning plastics at a Peoples Cartage, Inc. warehouse in Parkersburg led officials to tell nearby residents to shelter in place. The fire burned into Monday, with containment efforts still underway at the Camden Avenue site in Wood County.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey declared a state of emergency for Wood County after visiting the fire scene, giving state agencies authority to send resources to support the response and address possible environmental impacts. The blaze drew more than two dozen agencies, including firefighters from across Wood County and beyond, as crews worked to control smoke that was visible for miles across the Mid-Ohio Valley.

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency were on site monitoring air and water quality, and air quality monitors were set up at the warehouse. Weather could shift smoke lower and force stronger public-safety orders. The shelter-in-place advisory was precautionary, but the smoke plume raised immediate concern because of the burning plastics and the particulate readings being tracked at the scene.

No injuries had been reported Monday, and the cause of the fire remained under investigation. A fire watch had remained overnight before the blaze reignited Sunday morning, prolonging the response and keeping crews on the scene through the day.

By Monday around noon, nearly half the fire had been extinguished, but the warehouse remained active. Total Distribution, Inc. said its leaders were cooperating with investigators and that the safety of employees, customers, neighbors and the community was their highest priority, while promising transparency as the investigation continued.