Two West Union families lost their homes to a fire on Wednesday morning, Sept. 9.
Firefighters responded to a duplex fire on Locust Street and according to West Union Fire Department Chief Jerry Kirker the fire began in a bathroom exhaust fan in apartment 213.
Two apartments sustained serious smoke and water damage.
“We had to tear out the ceiling to get to where the initial fire was to make sure it hadn’t spread through the upper part of the building,” said Lieutenant Christeen Patrick.
Firefighters used large blowers to clear smoke and ventilate the structure.
The resident at 213 advised the firefighters that the ventilator fan had initially caught fire at 3 a.m. He extinguished the flames and returned to bed.
Later that morning the neighbor in the adjoining apartment smelled smoke and called the fire department.
Two West Union fire trucks from Station 18 arrived on the scene and were informed by the West Union Police Department that the resident was asleep in the apartment. After that, everyone was safely evacuated.
The Peebles Fire Department and Byrd Township Fire Department (Stations 25 and 17 ) also responded to the blaze.
