The initial responder to the fire was the Parkersburg Fire Department as it was assumed the plant was inside the city, Stewart said. The plant is outside city limits in the Lubeck VFD service area.

PARKERSBURG — Smoke is expected to continue to billow for several days from the former shovel plant in south Parkersburg that caught fire early Saturday morning.

Also responding were the American Red Cross, the Department of Highways, Parkersburg Police, Wood County Sheriff’s Office, Camden Clark Ambulance, St Joseph Ambulance, Wood County Health Department, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Wood County Emergency Management, West Virginia Emergency Management and E911.

By late Saturday morning, fire crews drafting water from the Ohio River to relieve the stress placed upon Parkersburg’s water supply by the continual draw of the fire hydrants in that area.

All drawings, reports, and forms, including the completed Application for a Permit to Construct or Demolish, must be provided in a PDF format.

The fire marshal will remain on scene to perform an investigation, he said. Homeland Security is providing flood lighting, Sandy said. General James A. Hoyer of the West Virginia National Guard has arranged to have firefighting foam available, if needed, he said.

Please do not include any personal information on your Building Plans (e.g., the homeowner’s name or phone number). Building Plans submitted for Permit are subject to disclosure in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA).

Photo by Jeff Baughan Two firefighters watch the Ames Plant fire burn as they wait while a tower truck moves closer to the fire.

A backwater valve that is designed to be installed in a normally closed position is prohibited from being installed in a building drain or building sewer.

Twenty departments from six counties — including the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Environmental Protection — responded to the Ames Plant on Camden Avenue where all that remains of the more-than-400,000 square foot facility is charred rubble.

Photo by Jeff Baughan A Blennerhassett Volunteer Fire Department firefighter battles a section of the Ames Plant fire Saturday morning.

In addition to a portion of Camden Avenue itself, roadways surrounding the fire scene were closed Saturday, including sections of Camden and Broadway avenues, Camden Avenue and Olive Street, Camden Avenue and Myrtle Street and several connecting alleys.

A cause has yet to be determined, Stewart said. Investigators with the West Virginia Fire Marshal were on scene ready to commence the investigation into the fire on Saturday.

The Wood County Unified Command is issuing alerts and in its latest on at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, a statement was issued by the unified command that a local lab advised that the fallen ash was non-toxic to residents.

To submit an application by email please use the ‘Email’ button on top of the Application for a Permit to Construct or Demolish.

Originally scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, the football game was moved to 7 p.m. Monday. No makeup date has been announced for the OVU soccer match.

The Wood County Commission has declared the scene a disaster area. Commission President Blair Couch said fire-fighting foam has been delivered to the scene by Specialized Professional Services of Washington, Pa.

For area residents wishing to assist efforts, Lubeck Fire Department on W.Va. 68 in Lubeck is accepting donations of water for the firefighters that are working the Ames fire and are expected to be on site by shift for several days.

Photo by Jeff Baughan One of the Parkersburg Fire Department’s tower trucks dumps water from high above Old Camden Avenue on fire burning near the Ames Plant office building.

Photo by Jeff Baughan A Parkersburg Fire Department’s tower trucks sprays water from high above Old Camden Avenue on fire burning near the Ames Plant office building. The fire practically leveled the entire facility.

A Consent to Enter form is required when installing a backwater valve and sump pump to assist Toronto Water in determining eligibility for Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program.

Photo by Jeff Baughan A firefighter kneels as he battles the fire at the Ames Plant on Old Camden Avenue which destroyed everything but the office building.

The fire started at the west end of the building and moved eastward, eventually overtaking most of the facility, but was stopped at the office complex, said Mark Stewart, chief of the Lubeck Volunteer Fire Department and incident commander.

Concerns with air quality caused officials to postpone Saturday’s football game between Parkersburg Catholic and Williamstown high schools and the women’s soccer match between Ohio Valley University and Ursiline.

Note: A fullport (normally open) backwater valve conforming to the appropriate CSA standard may be installed in a building drain that serves only one occupancy.

Please note: not all projects are eligible for email submission. Review the list of eligible applications and detailed email submission process.

Fire departments responding from Jackson, Ritchie, Pleasants, Wirt, Washington and Wood counties were Lubeck, Parkersburg, Blennerhassett, Washington Bottom, Mineral Wells, Waverly, Vienna, Williamstown, Eastwood, Pond Creek, Pond Creek, Little Hocking, Marietta, Ravenswood, Ripley, Pennsboro, St. Marys, Belmont, Elizabeth and Belpre.

Fire departments continued to douse the fire with water since arriving on scene Saturday morning. A fire boat was in the Little Kanawha River where a dike was being installed, Stewart said.

The state Department of Environmental Protection conducted air quality tests in the area, including Williamstown and Marietta, Stewart said.

Another nearby resident who asked not to be identified said she was awakened by the traffic and looked out her kitchen window.

Kelly Summers, who lives near the plant and was watching efforts to battle the blaze, said her nephew heard pops around 1 a.m. and thought someone was shooting a gun.

Photo by Jeff Baughan A firefighter aims a portable water cannon at a quickly growing hot spot near the loading docks the Old Camden Avenue location of the Ames Plant.

Among state resources being made available were fuel trucks from the West Virginia Division of Highways, said Jeff Sandy, secretary of the West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety. Services were requested by Couch, Sandy said.