UPDATE (NOV. 27, 2024):
The man who died in the Fayette Street fire Tuesday morning was 87-year-old Joe Hairston. Fire Chief Dan Howell say Hairston’s body was found in the main area where the fire was and a partial collapse of the building had occurred. The cause of the fire has not been determined, but Howell says they believe it was accidental.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Firefighters responded to a fully involved structure fire at 214 Fayette Street this morning around 2 a.m. The building, located next to the Grace Presbyterian Church and across the street from the FAHI museum, appeared to be a total loss. No word yet on the cause of the fire. (This image is from the nearby New College Institute skycam).
RELEASE FROM THE CITY OF MARTINSVILLE AT 9:22 A.M.:
At 1:53 a.m. on November 26, Martinsville Fire & EMS was dispatched to a structure fire at 214 Fayette Street.
When crews arrived, the structure was heavily involved as the fire extended to a neighboring building. Martinsville Police Department officers, who were already on the scene, confirmed that there was an occupant inside the original structure. Crews initiated a fire attack and located the victim, who was determined to be deceased. Once the victim was removed, crews worked to extinguish the fire.
The fire was declared under control at 6:10 a.m. as firefighters remained on the scene until 7:14 a.m. to complete extinguishment. The victim’s body has been transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office, as their name will not be released until positive identification has been obtained.
The original structure was destroyed, and the attic of the exposed building to the rear sustained extensive damage. The neighboring church to the left of the fire building was determined to have exterior radiant heat damage and light smoke on the interior. Preliminary damage estimates are $70,000. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
During the incident, Martinsville Fire & EMS was assisted by the Henry County Department of Public Safety, Martinsville Volunteer Fire Company, Collinsville Volunteer Fire Department, and the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Department. Multiple City departments assisted, including the City of Martinsville Public Works, Martinsville Electric, and Martinsville Police. Southwest Virginia Gas also assisted with utility control.
Martinsville Fire & EMS would like to remind the citizens of Martinsville and Henry County that smoke detectors are available for free installation. In the City of Martinsville, call 1-276-403-5325. For residents of Henry County, call the Henry County Department of Public Safety at 1-276-634-4660.
As the cause of this fire is unknown at the time of this release, the Martinsville Fire Department would like to ensure that citizens exercise proper use of electric heaters and that Christmas lights and decorations are properly wired.
If anyone has any questions, they should contact Martinsville Fire & EMS at 1-276-403-5325.
