Power Plant Fire Prompts Evacuation

Emergency response officials are evacuating homes around a coal-fired plant near Morgantown, West Virginia, because of a fire at a methane tank at the plant.

Mike Wolfe of the Monongalia County 911 dispatch center says the fire Monday involves one of a half dozen tanks at the Longview Power Plant in Maidsville. There have been no injuries.

The director of the dispatch center says county fire crews have responded to the fire. Other crews are going door-to-door advising residents to evacuate.

Wolfe said about 10 houses are located within a 1-mile radius of the plant. The plant already has been evacuated.

He said a hazardous materials team is working to gain entry to an area of the power plant where the methane tanks are located.