UPDATED AT 8:20 P.M. – OCTOBER 14, 2023
A call to Calhoun Control came across the Radio for what Ridgeview News assumed was another ordinary, but tragic house fire. Due to the location of 1259 Beech Road, the house was located a short distance up a rock base driveway, so RVN Writer, Whitney Butler drove Ridgeview (RVN) to the scene in her side by side. When we arrived at the top of the hill, James and Amanda Kerby, neighbors and friends of the homeowners, were yelling for their friends by name without answers forthcoming.
Stepping around the house we discovered we were the first to arrive on a less than ordinary house fire scene.
James and Amanda headed back off the hill to their home while Ridgeview News stayed on scene to await police and fire department who unknowingly to us, had been staged off scene aware that there was possibly issues at that address.
When the call was dispatched by Calhoun Control, someone from inside the house had phoned to say that the house was on fire and there was live ammunition, warning the fire department to be careful. Ammunition in homes is not uncommon in West Virginia, so Fire Fighters (and wives of fire fighters) are aware of the possibility.
Trooper Warden of the Roane County Detachment of the West Virginia State Police was next to arrive on scene. Quickly determining why Ridgeview was there, he questioned me and then Whitney as to what had been seen and released us to go.
The Arnoldsburg Volunteer Fire Department arrived following the State Police as well as the WV State Fire Marshall and State Medical examiner.
Arnoldsburg Fire Department left the scene, but were dispatched again to further extinguish the blaze so that the Fire Marshall’s office could investigate the interior of the home. All that is known for certain at this time is that one body has been removed from the scene to be taken to the State Medical Examiner in Charleston and the investigation is continuing at this hour.
Update on fire: The scene has been cleared this evening with a plan to return tomorrow to look for a possible second victim.
On a side note to this event, As Trooper J.D. Richards was responding to the scene of the Fire, he collided with Timothy Marks at the intersection of Calhoun Middle High School. Marks was traveling north on South Calhoun Highway when he began to cut into the School driveway and was struck by Trooper Richards.
Ridgeview has been unable to reach anyone regarding Trooper Richards condition, but will continue and update when the information becomes available. Timothy Marks was on the scene when Ridgeview arrived, although he did not appear or say he was injured, the accident had certainly shaken him up.
UPDATE ON TROOPER RICHARDS: Broken Fibula. (the outer and usually smaller of the two bones between the knee and the ankle).
