Two fallen West Virginia firefighters among 226 to be honored at National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) announced it will host the 43rd National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend (Memorial Weekend) on May 4-5, 2024 in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Organizers say this year’s national tribute will honor 89 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2023 and 137 firefighters who died in previous years. Ret. Firefighter Cody Mullens, age 28, of the West Virginia Division of Forestry, was fighting a wildland fire in Fayette County, WV, on 4/13/23 when a tree fell and killed him. Forester/Wildland Firefighter Ronald “Ron” Strosnider, age 75, of the Capon Valley Volunteer Fire Department, responded to an emergency medical call at a residence on 10/23/23. He became ill while on scene and was taken home by fire department personnel.
WTRF-TV CBS 7 Wheeling

’Our students are resilient’: Lincoln County High School baseball dugout destroyed in fire

VIDEO/PHOTOS: A fire destroyed a dugout at the Lincoln County High School baseball field and a storage facility used for lawncare equipment early Sunday morning. Officials say it is being investigated as arson. Officials say they are looking for the owners or drivers of a red car that may possibly be connected to the fire. The Hamlin Volunteer Fire Department posted on social media there were no bystanders who saw the fire to be able to call 911 before the dugout and storage area became a total loss. A news release from West Virginia State Police said the blaze destroyed thousands of dollars worth of equipment and facilities. Lincoln County Schools Superintendent Frank Barnett told Eyewitness News this is a horrible thing that has happened to the Lincoln County High School baseball team.
WCHS-TV ABC/FOX 8 Charleston

100 years later: Remembering the fire that nearly wiped out Franklin

VIDEO: 100 years ago the Town of Franklin was almost destroyed by a massive fire. On the evening of April 17, 1924, a fire broke out at the Pendleton Times that burned 37 buildings and left around 60 people homeless. ”The Pendleton Times they were printing the April 18th edition of the paper and the engine backfired and a spark flew into a container of gasoline. Well, that container was barrels, several barrels of gasoline and oil, so there was a pretty big explosion,” said Brenna Mitchell, a member of the Pendleton County Historical Society’s Board of Directors. In 1924 most of the buildings in downtown Franklin were wooden so the fire spread very rapidly down Main Street. Back then all the town had for fire fighting was a single reel of hose and teams of people with water buckets. To make things worse the water system in town had already been a problem for about 20 years.
WHSV-TV ABC 29 Harrisonburg