Homes on West Virginia’s Wheeling Island Damaged by Fire

Authorities are searching for the cause of a fire that tore through a row of houses on Wheeling Island, W. Va.

Wheeling Fire Department spokesman Philip Stahl tells media outlets no one was injured in the fire that was reported at 12:09 a.m. Monday when a resident heard a smoke alarm going off. As many as 50 firefighters battled the fire for more than three hours.

Stahl says six houses were damaged or destroyed. Many of the houses along the street were vacant. Two families were displaced and many surrounding homes were evacuated.

Stahl says it’s the city’s largest fire since 2011.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.