Published: January 31, 2008 09:49 pm      

House fire shuts down Route 52

WELCH — Firefighters in McDowell County were forced to close U.S. Route 52 for about six hours Thursday morning following a house fire in the Powhattan community.

The fire was initially reported at 1:50 a.m. at a two-story structure located directly adjacent to the highway, Terry Belcher, assistant chief of the Northfork Volunteer Fire Department, said.

Belcher said a family of four was awakened by the smoke, and escaped the house without injury. The blaze also threatened an adjoining structure, but firefighters were able to protect and save the second structure, Belcher said.

Belcher said Route 52 was closed for a period of about four or five hours after the blaze was reported. The fire rekindled Thursday morning forcing officials to close the roadway again between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.

About 20 firefighters from Northfork, Keystone, Kimball, Welch and Bluewell battled the blaze and the rekindled fire throughout the night and early morning hours.

Belcher said the blaze was contained around noon Thursday.

The cause of the fire was undetermined, and still under investigation Thursday morning.

Belcher said traffic was re-routed off of U.S. Route 52 and across Route 161 toward the Anawalt community.

“It (traffic) started pouring in at 5 a.m.,” Belcher said. “I would say around 5:30 a.m. Bluewell (Fire Department) said they were backed up all the way toward Bramwell.”

Belcher said the family is staying with relatives.

– Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com