Martinsville firefighter Keith Hudson shows a tripod like the one used to rescue a teenager who fell into a well on Nov. 13. The tripod was erected over the well, and Hudson was slowly lowered inside so he could rescue the girl. (Bulletin photo by Mike Wray)

Martinsville Bulletin:

The only thing on Keith Hudson’s mind during his 65-foot descent into a dry well was how to rescue the 15-year-old girl sitting at the bottom.Hudson, a fire lieutenant and paramedic with Martinsville Fire and EMS, rescued Miranda Lee Brogan of Lovingston from the abandoned well Nov. 13 in the Mountain Valley community.It was the first time his training was tested in a real life situation.Hudson, the father of twin daughters, said he thought about “what her family must be going through” and how he would have reacted in a similar situation.

Continue Reading….(source) Paramedic recalls well rescue – Martinsville Bulletin.

MARTINSVILLE, VA –

A woman is dead, following a fire at a home in Martinsville early Thursday morning.

The Martinsville Fire Marshal’s Office says firefighters received a call about a fire at a home in the 800 block of Smith Street at 5:03 a.m.

via Woman dies in Martinsville house fire | WSLS 10.

Martinsville Fire Marshal’s Office and Police Investigating Structure Fire

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Andy Powers of the Martinsville Fire Marshal’s office and Martinsville Police Investigator Andy Boitnott are jointly investigating a suspicious fire that occurred at 229 Wingfield Street in Martinsville at around 8:00 p.m. last night (Monday, April 12). The call reporting the fire was made from a neighboring home.

The fire was contained to only one room and its contents. However, heavy smoke and heat damage is present throughout the structure. The actual cash value of the damages has not been determined. Investigators have gathered evidence which will undergo lab analysis; they have also conducted interviews. The structure has been vacant for some time and there was no electric service to the house at the time of the fire. It is owned by Linda Martin of Eden, N.C.

The Martinsville Fire Marshal’s Office and the Martinsville Police Department are continuing their investigation of the fire to determine if there is evidence which may indicate criminal activity. No charges have been filed and there are no suspects at this time. Further information will be released when it is available.

Ceremony Set to Rename Martinsville Fire & EMS Headquarters in Honor of Chief J. Lloyd Gregory

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – A ceremony will be held Tuesday, April 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Martinsville Fire & EMS headquarters (Fire Station 1) on Church Street to officially rename the fire station in honor of former Chief J. Lloyd Gregory who passed away on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at the age of 84.

Gregory joined the Martinsville Fire Department on September 1, 1947 and was appointed chief of the department on July 1, 1968. He served as chief until his retirement on March 1, 1988.

Gregory was past president of the Virginia Fire Chief’s Association from 1976-1977, past member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, past member of the Virginia State Firemen’s Association and a member of the Southwest Virginia Firemen’s Association. He also was a certified fire service instructor and served on the Virginia Fire Services Council for many years.

He was appointed by the governor’s office in 1977 to serve as a member of the Advisory Legislative Commission to establish a State Fire Commission, which is now the Virginia Department of Fire Programs. He also assisted in the organizing and training of the volunteer fire departments in Henry County during the 1950s through 1960s and the Industrial Fire Brigades throughout the area.

“Everyone in the Fire & EMS Department really wanted to do something to honor Chief Gregory. He was a fine man, a great friend, and an outstanding leader. Members of City Council, specifically Councilman Danny Turner and Councilman Mark Stroud approached us about renaming a local landmark in his honor. After discussing the issue we all agreed that nothing could be more fitting than to rename our Fire & EMS headquarters in his honor,” said Martinsville Fire & EMS Chief Kenneth Draper.

The current Martinsville Fire & EMS headquarters at 65 West Church Street will be renamed and the proclamation is written so that if Martinsville’s Fire & EMS headquarters are moved to another location in the future this dedication will move on as well. “We don’t plan on moving our headquarters anytime soon. But if sometime in the future we were to build a new fire station or move for whatever reason we want to preserve Chief Gregory’s memory. With his many years of service and everything he’s done for the fire profession in Martinsville and Henry County, we feel that our headquarters should always bear his name,” added Draper.

Chief Gregory Building Dedication Agenda

Structure Fire Claims Two Victims in Martinsville
Photos by: Martinsville Public Information Office

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Martinsville Fire & EMS responded to a structure fire at a home located at 118 Pony Place at 11:50 p.m. on Monday, April 5. When firefighters arrived on the scene the fire was fully involved with heavy flames consuming at least three-quarters of the structure.
Martinsville Fire Marshal Ted Anderson confirmed around 2:00 a.m. this morning (Tuesday, April 6) that two bodies had been found inside what appears to be a bedroom of the home now completely destroyed by fire. The victims were confirmed to be Loronia Annette Millner, age 50, a resident of the home and her granddaughter Tiarra Millner who was spending the night as a guest in the home. According to a family member Tiarra was eight years old. The home is a total loss with the entire right-front side of the one-story wood frame house burned to the foundation. The fire’s cause and point of origin have not yet been determined.

Because of the intensity of the blaze firefighters were not certain that the floor near the front entrance of the residence would support their weight. In order to secure the safest possible access a wider opening was cut at a window on the left-front side of the home and firefighters utilized this opening to enter inside. Martinsville Fire & EMS received assistance from the Martinsville Police Department, Fieldale Volunteer Fire Department, and Stone Ambulance Service of Martinsville.

“It is too early to tell for certain whether or not this home had working smoke detectors. I want to take this opportunity to remind everyone how important it is to check your smoke detectors regularly to be certain that they will work in the event you need them and to replace your batteries at least once per year,” said Fire Marshal Ted Anderson. Anderson and his assistant Andy Powers are investigating the scene at this hour. Additional information will be released when it is available.

Fire Marshal/Police Investigating Fire on Bob Gregory Street
Photos by: Martinsville Public Information Office

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Martinsville Fire & EMS responded to a structure fire at a home located at 914 Bob Gregory Street at 3:04 a.m. this morning (Friday, April 2). The 911 call was made by a neighbor who lives across the street. When firefighters arrived at the scene the wood-framed house was fully engulfed in flames.

Clarence “B.B.” Waller, age 42, the only known resident of the home was severely injured. Waller sustained second and third degree burns over thirty to forty percent of his upper body. According to evidence and testimony from witnesses it appears that Waller escaped through a rear window of the residence. He was transported to Memorial Hospital of Martinsville and Henry County for emergency treatment and transported via helicopter to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center for additional treatment shortly thereafter.

Martinsville Fire & EMS received assistance from the Martinsville Police Department, Stone Ambulance Service, and volunteer firefighters from the Dyers Store and Collinsville Volunteer Fire Departments. Damage to the wood-framed home which is believed to be built prior to 1950 is considered a total loss (estimated value at $35,000 or more). The home is owned by Leonard B. Eanes of Martinsville. It has not been determined whether or not the home was equipped with working smoke detectors.

The Martinsville Fire Marshal’s Office and the Martinsville Police Department are conducting a joint investigation of the fire to determine if there is evidence which may indicate criminal activity. Investigators are still gathering evidence and information at this time and it is too early to determine whether or not the fire was suspicious in nature. Further information will be released when it is available.

Damage ‘extensive’ after fire at Hooker warehouse – Martinsville Bulletin

Extensive smoke and water damage were reported Wednesday after fire broke out inside Hooker Furniture’s distribution center just off U.S. 220 South.

The blaze was reported around noon at the massive warehouse on Fontaine Drive. Employees were just about to break for lunch when they saw smoke and evacuated the building, said Larry Ryder, Hooker’s chief financial officer.

He wasn’t sure how many people work at the site but guessed the number at around 50. No workers were hurt, Ryder said.

Continue reading… Damage ‘extensive’ after fire at Hooker warehouse – Martinsville Bulletin.

Photo from the Martinsville Bulletin

A fire Tuesday at American of Martinsville was an accident, according to Henry County’s public safety director.

Dale Wagoner said his office along with the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Department, Martinsville Fire Department and Stone Ambulance responded to the 11:34 a.m. call at the Redd Level plant off Rives Road.

The blaze started in the finishing department and was contained there, Wagoner said.

Continue reading… American of Martinsville finishing area hit by fire – Martinsville Bulletin.

A Martinsville man died during an accidental fire in his apartment early Saturday.

Curtis Flood, 57, of 1101 Mountain Road, Martinsville, was found dead on his bed in Apartment 2, according to a death notice.

Martinsville Fire Marshal Ted Anderson said rescue personnel were called to a smoke investigation there at 4 a.m. Saturday.

When they arrived, firefighters broke open the front door of the apartment and found the blaze nearly extinguished, Anderson said.

Continue reading… City fire leaves one dead – Martinsville Bulletin.

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – This document serves as the only official statement from the City of Martinsville administration in regard to the termination of employment of Fire & EMS Assistant Chief John W. “Jay” Russell, Jr.  In addition to serving as the supervisor in charge of “A Shift”, he was also in charge of managing the time records for all employees of the Fire & EMS Department.  Russell began his employment with the City of Martinsville in December 1993.

The summary of events is as follows:

• Discrepancies in Mr. Russell’s own time records were discovered in early June 2009.  A preliminary investigation was conducted by internal Fire & EMS administration, treating the issue as a personnel matter.
• After reviewing the evidence in the initial personnel investigation, Martinsville Fire & EMS administration terminated employment of Assistant Chief Russell on June 30, 2009.
• Additional discrepancies were discovered in the preliminary investigation and the findings were brought to the attention of Martinsville Commonwealth’s Attorney Joan Ziglar in late June 2009.
• Following professional protocol to ensure an unbiased investigation the decision was made to contact the Virginia State Police to conduct an independent investigation.  The Martinsville Circuit Court appointed Petra Haskins from Mecklenburg County, Va. to assist in the investigation; functioning as the special prosecutor.
• Virginia State Police conducted a thorough criminal investigation; findings were reviewed with the special prosecutor.
• The information and evidence gathered in the investigation was presented to a grand jury for deliberation on Monday, February 8, 2010.
• The grand jury issued indictments for the following charges, which are all felonies, on February 8, 2010:
  • Grand Larceny
  • Embezzlement
  • Obtain Money by False Pretense
  • Misappropriation of Public Funds

In order to safeguard against a similar incident occurring in the future the Martinsville Fire & EMS Department has instituted changes in their policy regarding how hours worked must be logged for all employees of the department.

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Martinsville Police investigated a two car accident that occurred at approximately 3:00 p.m. this afternoon (Wednesday, December 9, 2009) at the intersection of Brookdale Road and Sprucedale Drive in Martinsville. The accident caused front-end damage to both vehicles involved, with rescue workers having to cut away parts of one of the vehicles in order to remove the driver. The vehicles/charges involved are as follows:

• 1988 Subaru GL station wagon (red in color) driven by Lawanda Rae Robertson, age 29, of 1086 Giles Road in Axton, Va. She has been charged with failure to yield right-of-way and was the lone occupant of this vehicle. Robertson was treated for minor injuries at Memorial Hospital of Martinsville and Henry County.
• 1995 Toyota Camry station wagon (light blue in color) driven by Raymond Duke Ferrell, age 88, of 951 Mulberry Road in Martinsville. Ferrell was not charged. He received minor injuries and was treated at Memorial Hospital. His passenger was not treated for any injury.

After the two vehicles collided the red Subaru which was traveling northwest on Brookdale Road (away from Spruce Street and toward Church Street) came to rest inside the intersection of Brookdale Road and Sprucedale Drive. The blue Camry which was attempting to cross the intersection at the time of the accident continued on a short distance before colliding at low speed with a brick building on the opposite side of the road from the Food Lion grocery store and Brookdale Center shopping complex on the 1100 block. Damage to the brick building was minor and thought to be only cosmetic.

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – The Virginia Building and Code Officials Association (VBCOA) recently gave special recognition to City Manager Clarence Monday and the Martinsville Inspections Division for their continued efforts toward improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and professionalism of the department.
This honor is explained in the following excerpt from the award letter issued to the City earlier this month. “Each year, the president of VBCOA grants the President’s Award for Excellence to recognize outstanding achievement or support of their mission: the protection of the health, safety, and welfare of all persons who live, work, or visit the Commonwealth of Virginia. The award extols an individual accomplishment during the year or the individual who has provided substantial support for the organization,” said Lynn Underwood, (Immediate past) President of the VBCOA.
“I feel much honored to accept this award on behalf of the City and our inspections department staff. Ted Anderson (Fire Marshal/Code Official), Kris Bridges (Combination Inspector II), Jay Thornton (Property Maintenance Inspector), Andy Powers (Fire Inspector), and Tammy Davis (Permit Technician) really deserve the credit for making this happen. It is through their dedication and hard work that we have been able to achieve this high standard,” said City Manager Clarence Monday.
This award indicates that the building and fire safety professionals in the City of Martinsville manage the resources efficiently that are needed to excel in their profession and insure that residents, businesses, and visitors to the area receive the safest accommodations and the very best quality of building and fire safety services while providing fair and excellent customer service.

Bulletin photo by Mike Wray

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

By DEBBIE HALL – Bulletin Staff Writer

The cause of a blaze that destroyed a city home Saturday remains undetermined.

The two children and two adults who were renting the house at 8 Peters St. escaped without harm, officials said.

“We were very fortunate no one was hurt or killed,” Martinsville Fire Marshal Ted Anderson said of the fire, which was reported at 6:16 a.m. Saturday.

Sherry Woody and her boyfriend, along with two children aged 11 and 14, were in the home sleeping when the fire was discovered.

Continue reading… Cause of blaze not known – Martinsville Bulletin.

Photos: Bob Sharp of Star News Corporation in Martinsville

Martinsville Fire & EMS responded to a structure fire at 218 Park Street in Martinsville this morning at 11:00 a.m. The call for help was made by a next door neighbor; it is estimated that the family had left the home approximately 15 to 20 minutes before fire was visible from outside the residence.
When firefighters arrived on the scene they found that the house was engulfed in flames with heavy fire coming from a window on the right (street-facing) side of the home. This was later determined to be the kitchen where the fire originated.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze quickly; actual fire damage was mostly contained to the kitchen and adjacent dining room area. However, there was extensive smoke and heat damage throughout the house. Initial damage estimates are around $25,000 to the structure, and $10,000 or more to contents; these are only estimates and values could change. No one was home at the time the fire started and there were no injuries caused by this incident. The family’s pet cat is still unaccounted for.
“One of the residents, Deborah Menefee, stated that she was preparing to cook food on the kitchen stove when she changed her mind and decided to leave the residence to get food”, said Fire Marshal Ted Anderson. “It appears that the right-front burner was left on accidentally which ignited flammable materials near the stove”, Anderson added.
The residence is a rental home to Menefee, her three children, and one grandchild. Menefee stated that she does have renter’s insurance to cover the contents of the home which is owned by Harold Gravely of Martinsville who also indicated that he has insurance on the structure. The home was equipped with working smoke detectors. The local chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the family with essential needs. Martinsville Fire & EMS received assistance from Horsepasture and Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Departments, Stone Ambulance Service, and the Henry County Department of Public Safety.
The fire draws attention to a very serious and often overlooked concern. “Cooking-related fires are our number one problem in Martinsville. No one should every leave a stove or any type of cooking with a heat source unattended. I ask everyone to please be certain that when you leave your home, even if it is just for a few minutes, to please be certain you turn off your stove or any flammable heat source; it could save your home, your life, and your family’s lives,” said Fire Marshal Ted Anderson.
The Martinsville Fire Department reminds area residents to check their smoke detector batteries frequently and replace any smoke detector that is more than ten years old. Free smoke detectors are available to residents through both the Martinsville Fire Department and the Henry County Public Safety Office. To get one, call 403-5325 in the city or 634-4660 in Henry County. City fire officials remind property owners that they are responsible for ensuring that any rental property is equipped with properly working smoke detectors.

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Martinsville Police and Fire & EMS responded to a vehicular accident that occurred at approximately 8:00 p.m. this evening.
When emergency personnel arrived at the scene they discovered a 98’ Subaru station wagon resting on its top at the edge of the water in Lake Lanier.
According to information gathered in the initial investigation it appears that the vehicle veered off of Clarke Road, which is near the intersection of Sam Lions Trail and Indian Trail. Upon leaving the roadway the vehicle travelled a considerable distance, an estimated forty to fifty feet or more down a hillside, striking a large tree before finally coming to rest at the edge of the lake.
The driver of the vehicle, Moss M. Clingenpeel, Jr., age 69, of 1003 Maplewood Court in Martinsville, was rescued from the vehicle and transported via Martinsville Fire & EMS to Memorial Hospital of Martinsville and Henry County for emergency treatment and evaluation. Upon initial assessment his injuries did not appear to be severe. This was a single vehicle accident and Clingenpeel was the only passenger in the vehicle.
The driver was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the accident and was alert and able to talk with rescuers. Damage to the vehicle is estimated to be a total loss. Clingenpeel has not been charged with any violation as of press time. However, Martinsville Police are still investigating and charges may be forthcoming. Additional information will be released if and when it becomes available.

Photos from the Martinsville Fire Marshal Office

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Martinsville Fire & EMS fought two separate structure fires in two different areas of the city yesterday afternoon; both were caused by unattended cooking.

The most damage occurred in a single family dwelling at 820 Belmont Street, where firefighters responded at 5:04 p.m.
Three adults and a 17-year-old are residents of the home, which is owned by Crown Associates. An adult resident, Montize Turner, was the only person at home when the fire started. Turner indicated that he started heating something on the stovetop in the kitchen before going into another room to lie down.
“Something woke him up; he was coughing and gasping for air. He is very fortunate to have been able to get out of the house in time,” said Fire Marshal Ted Anderson.
Investigation of the scene indicated that there were no working smoke alarms in the residence. “Thousands of people lose their lives to fire in this country each year; the majority of them die not from the fire itself but from smoke inhalation and many of those people die in their sleep. They are asleep when the fire starts and they just never wake up. I say this all the time; but I cannot overemphasize just how important it is to have working smoke alarms in your home. It can truly save your life and it is such an easy and inexpensive precaution to outfit your home and make it safe,” added Anderson.
There was significant fire damage to the kitchen and living room of the house, and heat and smoke damage throughout. Initial damage estimates are between $30,000 and $35,000. The local chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the family with urgent needs.
Another fire caused by unattended cooking occurred earlier Wednesday afternoon and damaged a unit in Rivermont Apartments at 1446 West Fayette Street.
The call came in at 12:57 p.m. Residents left the apartment when the fire began with a pot left unattended on the kitchen stove. The building’s sprinkler system functioned properly, extinguishing the fire quickly and helping to contain actual fire damage to only one apartment, unit 81, in the three-story building. However, there was additional water damage to unit 81 and the two apartments below it.
Sandra and Quan Tinsley are listed as residents in apartment 81. The American Red Cross is working to assist them with essential needs.
One of the other two water-damaged apartments was occupied. Rivermont’s on-site management temporarily relocated the residents to another vacant apartment within the complex.
There were no injuries in either of yesterday’s fires. However, these incidents draw attention to a very serious and often overlooked issue. “This is still our number one cause of accidental fires: unattended cooking. No one should every leave a stove or any type of cooking with a heat source unattended. The risk are too great; making this mistake can cost you your home, all your belongings, and quite possibly even your life,” said Fire Marshal Ted Anderson.

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Martinsville Fire & EMS responded to a structure fire call at a home located at 705 Carter Street at 8:16 p.m. on Thursday, August 20. When firefighters arrived at the scene the wood-framed house was fully engulfed in flames.
The two-story house was home to three adults, Trevor Shelton, age 41, Roberta Gravely, age 50, and her daughter, LaCrisha Gravely, age 27. The family was renting-to-purchase from owner Sonja Eaton of Willard, Ohio.
According to the residents, Mr. Shelton was cooking food on a grill in the yard at the front-left side of the home when Rebecca Gravely saw the flames and yelled for help. Shelton ran across the lawn to the right side of the home to find a large fire in the area of the clothes dryer. The residents briefly considered fighting the fire, but quickly realized that it was not safe so they called for help and evacuated the home. “They (residents) made the right call by deciding to call for help and evacuate. This fire spread very rapidly and could have easily turned into a life-threatening situation,” said Fire Marshal Ted Anderson.
The residence was damaged beyond repair in the blaze. As of press time fire investigators have been able to reach the out-of-town owner. It is not yet known whether the structure was insured. The residents did not have renter’s insurance and lost most all of their belongings. They will be staying at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church’s “The Haven” home through Monday. They are also receiving assistance from the local chapter of the American Red Cross. If anyone would like to make a donation to help the family they may call and leave a message with their name and contact number at the Red Cross office at 276-632-5127.
”Thankfully everyone escaped without injury; that is the most important thing. But, I would say to anyone who is a renter, please check with your insurance agent about getting a renter’s policy. This type of insurance is very inexpensive and invaluable if you ever need it”, said Fire Marshal Ted Anderson.
The Fire Marshal’s Office has completed its investigation. The point of origin of the fire was determined to be near the electrical receptacle in the laundry room where the dryer was plugged in. It appears that a combination of factors including an improper connection inside the outlet which caused an electrical arc or excessive heating due to resistance ignited the fire. Lint that was built up combined with articles of clothing that had fallen behind the dryer provided additional combustible material causing the blaze to build and spread more rapidly. “Unfortunately, these are common findings in any household.”
“I would strongly recommend to anyone who operates a clothes dryer in their home to be especially cautious to make sure that the air flow is not obstructed in any way. Lint traps and filters should be inspected and cleaned after each use. In addition, the inside and underneath of the dryer and the ventilation pipe should be inspected and/or cleaned at least once a year. You should never allow clothes or any flammable or combustible material to sit near the appliance or its electrical receptacle; these items can ignite quickly even with just a small spark. Clothes dryers should not be operated while occupants are sleeping or left running while no one is home,” said Anderson.
Martinsville Fire & EMS would like to thank volunteer fire departments from Collinsville and Ridgeway, the Henry County Department of Public Safety, the Martinsville Police Department, and Stone Ambulance Service for their assistance. In addition, they wish to say a special thank-you to Mr. Hosea Hernandez, a resident of Carter Street, who brought food and beverages to assist the firefighters on scene.

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – The Martinsville Fire & EMS Department responded to a fire call at approximately 2:50 p.m. at the Fidelity Bank Building, 231 East Church Street in Uptown Martinsville.
The incident started at an electrical receptacle, where a portable heater which was in use near the drive-through window was plugged in, causing a small fire at the power outlet. An employee working in the area utilized a dry chemical fire extinguisher to safely put out the fire; another employee called 911 for emergency assistance.
When firefighters arrived on the scene they observed a fair amount of smoke coming from the lobby area of the bank. All employees and customers were evacuated from the building as a safety precaution. After further investigation it was determined that the fire had been safely extinguished by employees, but the electrical outlet was still energized. The outlet was isolated and disconnected from the building’s power supply by fire crews and electrical maintenance personnel at the building.
Firefighters then shut down the buildings ventilation system and setup exhaust fans in order to prevent any smoke and dry chemical fire extinguisher residue from spreading further throughout the building. There were no injuries and structural damage was limited to the electrical outlet and dry chemical from the fire extinguisher throughout the office. The building is valued at approximately $2.6 million; damage/cleanup costs are estimated at about $2,000.
Fire Marshal Ted Anderson conducted an investigation at the scene and determined the point of origin to be in the vicinity of an electrical outlet where a portable heater was plugged in. There are no indications that the heater was being used improperly and the fire has been ruled accidental in nature.
“Judging by what I have seen here, it appears that the heater was being used properly. However, we caution anyone on the use of any type of supplemental heater. A supplemental heating device should never be used unless it is being monitored at all times, all necessary safety precautions are taken, and all manufacturers’ recommendations are followed”, said Martinsville Fire Marshal Ted Anderson.
Anderson added that supplemental heaters should always be plugged directly into a properly grounded wall outlet and never used in conjunction with an extension cord. When using a device of this type it is crucial to maintain a safe distance between the heater and any other potentially flammable material.
Any resident who has questions or concerns about the safe use of supplemental heating devices or any fire safety related issue may call the Martinsville Fire Department at 403-5325.

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – A special ceremony was held earlier today at the Martinsville Fire Department Station 1 at 65 West Church Street in Uptown Martinsville to honor Allen and Chris Bell for their efforts in rescuing a family from a burning home in Kernersville, N.C. in the early morning hours of January 14, 2009.
The brothers are the sons of retired Martinsville Fire Department Captain David Bell and are residents of the Martinsville-Henry County Community. Proclamations honoring their brave efforts were presented by state representatives in attendance, as well as Mayor Kathy Lawson and members of Martinsville City Council.

Unfortunately, Allen Bell was sick and unable to attend today’s ceremony; Chris accepted honors on behalf of himself and his brother.

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – The Martinsville Fire Marshal’s Office reminds residents that a statewide burning ban is now in effect, beginning Sunday, February 15, 2009. The regulations governing burning in the City of Martinsville differ somewhat from those in Henry County and other parts of the state.

Some key provisions of the ordinance are as follows:

• Only paper, cardboard, leaves and tree, yard and garden trimmings located on your private residence may be burned and must take place on this same property. The Fire Marshal’s Office must be contacted if any other types of materials are to be burned. If this is the case, the fire marshal or fire department staff will need to personally inspect the materials to be burned and give approval prior to burning. Depending on the size and/or type of material to be burned, a special permit may be required.

• All material must be contained within a non-combustible box or cage, or all items must be in a pile less than five feet in diameter, less than three feet in height, and at least fifty feet from any occupied building. Any items other than leaves shall be at least 300 feet from any occupied building unless the occupant of the building has given prior permission for burning closer.

• All open burning within the City of Martinsville must be done between the hours of 4:00 P.M. AND 8:00 P.M during this burning ban which ends April 30, 2009.

• All outdoors fires shall be attended at all times and not allowed to spread or jeopardize any other property.

• A form of fire suppression equipment (a working garden hose) should be immediately available at all times of the burn.

• At any point the fire is deemed dangerous or is causing a safety or health hazard to anyone, the fire shall be suppressed.

We are currently experiencing a drier and warmer than normal winter. Even with a substantial rain or snow shower, the undergrowth, base coat of leaves and dead or dormant vegetation are highly combustible. Also, anyone who decides to disregard the warnings and continues with their outdoor burning can be civilly responsible for any damages caused by their burning activity.
According to Martinsville Fire Marshal Ted Anderson, violation of the burning ban in the City of Martinsville constitutes a class 1 misdemeanor, which is punishable with up to 12 months in jail and/or a $2500 fine.
For more information, contact Fire Marshal Ted Anderson at (276) 403-5202 during normal business hours.