ALDERSON, W.Va. (Hinton News) — A fire broke out at the historic Alderson Academy building on Sunday, Sept. 22 marking one of the largest fires in the town’s history, according to Mayor Travis Coppenhaver. The structure, which has served various educational purposes since its establishment in the late 19th century, suffered significant damage.
According to Copenhaver, first responders were able to contain the blaze, preventing it from spreading to nearby structures and a pine thicket surrounding the property. “Words cannot express our gratitude to those who brought food, water, help and support to this operation,” Copenhaver stated in a statement posted to the Town of Alderson’s official Facebook page.
Multiple fire departments responded to the scene, along with EMS agencies and local police officers, who worked tirelessly to manage the situation. Copenhaver emphasized the remarkable effort of the first responders, noting that the operation involved many moving parts and was executed swiftly without injuries.
The Alderson Academy building has a rich history, originally founded as a preparatory school in the late 1800s. It later transitioned into Mountain State College before becoming part of Alderson-Broaddus University. The building has been a cornerstone of the community’s educational landscape for over a century.
Tri-County Fire Department, one of the responding agencies, released a statement yesterday noting, “The entire structure was abandoned and condemned before today’s event.” The department also stated that residents could expect to continue seeing smoke for several days. They said “Citizens of Alderson will see smoke coming from the area for several days. Small fires inside the collapsed building still remain but are unable to be gotten to.”
At the time of writing, a cause for the fire has not been determined.
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