Marlinton, WV Business District Razed By Flames, Jan 1968

SEVEN MARLINTON BUSINESSES BURN.

ALPINE HOTEL RAZED.

Fire roared through a section of the downtown business district of Marlinton, Pocahontas County, this morning, destroying at least seven business establishments including the three-story brick Alpine Hotel.
At late morning firemen were still battling a fire in the RALSTON'S Mens Shop. They indicated that had the blaze under control, however.
Fire Chief FRED C. BURNS, JR., was directing fire units from Marlinton, Durbin, Renick, White Sulphur Springs and Hot Springs, Va., in fighting the flames. It was the worst conflagration here in years.
According to reports, the blaze erupted about 2:30 a.m. and leveled the hotel and the Alpine Restaurant as well as the DAVIS Barber Shop, the Pocahontas Loan Co., the Quality Discount Shop and the Alpine Theater.
The businesses are located at Eighth Avenue and 2nd Street, right in the heart of the county seat.
Firemen were pumping water from the Greenbrier River and had one lane of W. Va. 30 blocked across the river bridge.
Residents said it was bitter cold during the night, but the temperature had climbed to 16 by 10:30 this morning.
The town is blanketed in snow and more flurries began falling at mid-morning. The assisting fire units had to come across ice-covered highways to reach the town.
Cause of the fire has not been determined, fire officials said.
It was the third major fire in the community within a year.
Earlier, Marlinton High School and Marlinton Junior High School burned leading to an arson investigation by the Fire Marshal's office.
That office said today that no charges were ever brought in the incidents.

Charleston Daily Mail West Virginia 1968-01-02
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!