Fire blazes out the window of the mobile home at 807 Sixth St., New Martinsville, Friday morning. (Photo by Jamie Benson)

An early morning fire destroyed a mobile home, early Friday morning, at 807 Sixth Street, in New Martinsville. A total of 16 firefighters from both New Martinsville and Paden City battled the early morning blaze to keep it from spreading to nearby homes.

“As our first fire engine arrived, the crew on board reported the home as being fully involved in fire,” said NMVFD Fire Chief Larry Couch. “There was fire coming from nearly every opening in the structure.”

The blaze, which was first reported to the Wetzel County 911 Center at 4:21 a.m. was declared under control at 4:40 a.m. and personnel remained on the scene until 8:09 a.m.

The property is owned by Curtis Blue of New Martinsville and the lot is rented to Mr. and Mrs. Dave Johnson of Sardis. The Johnsons are also the owners of the mobile home, according to the fire department report.

Although the home had no utilities, it was being occupied by Justin Johnson of Sardis and Josh Wilson of Newark, Ohio. Both men fled the scene upon discovering the fire, but were later located, uninjured at a friend’s home.

The fire has been ruled accidental by the West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office, according to Couch.

Damages to the home were estimated at $57,000 and $12,000 to the contents of the home.

No firefighters or civilians were injured in the blaze and the New Martinsville and Paden City fire fighters were assisted by the New Martinsville Police Department, Wetzel County EMS, Mountaineer Gas, and the New Martinsville Water Department and Electric Department.