Monroe County Courthouse fire update, soft opening of county offices today

Press Release

UNION, W.Va. – Following the fire that occurred in the early morning hours of Saturday, January 11th, Monroe County officials are providing an update on the ongoing recovery efforts. While the fire itself was contained, the damage caused by water from firefighting efforts has been significant. The following developments have taken place as of January 13th: 

1. Fire Marshal investigation – The fire marshal has arrived to conduct an inspection of the site and begin forming a general consensus on the events surrounding the fire. The investigation remains ongoing, and no official cause has been determined as of this release.
2.  Insurance assessment –  The insurance adjuster is scheduled to visit the courthouse on January 14th to assess the extent of the damage for claims processing.
3.  Water damage mitigation –  Servpro continues to work diligently to mitigate the water damage in the affected areas of the courthouse.
4.  Temporary relocation of courthouse offices – County offices are in the process of relocating to the old Union Rescue Squad building, located on Pump Street behind the courthouse. Networking and other technological updates are currently being completed to ensure minimal disruption of service.

In the spirit of transparency, the commission would like to inform the public about the fire precautions that were in place at the courthouse prior to the fire. Several years ago, the county invested in a modernized fire alarm and sprinkler system for the entire building. These systems played a crucial role in minimizing the damage to the courthouse:

• Sprinkler system –  The sprinkler system functioned as designed, successfully preventing the spread of the fire to other parts of the building. However, the water used to suppress the fire caused significant water damage to several areas of the courthouse.
• Record room fire suppression system –  The courthouse’s record rooms are equipped with a state-of-the-art fire suppression system, which uses a pressurized liquid that turns into vapor to protect documents from fire. This system is so sensitive that even cigarette smoke can trigger it. Upon inspection, it was confirmed that the system did not activate, indicating that the record rooms were hermetically sealed, and no smoke had entered the area. This innovative system, in combination with other fire prevention measures, helped to protect the irreplaceable records stored within the courthouse.

While the courthouse remains closed to the public, the commission would like to reassure everyone that significant steps have been taken to ensure the safety of all county records and to minimize the disruption of services.

 Soft opening of county offices

 A soft opening of county offices will take place January 14th at 1 p.m., provided that the situation remains stable. While most offices will be operational at the old Rescue Squad Building, some services may be impacted. 

The public is strongly encouraged to call ahead at 304-772-3096 to confirm availability and ensure they can receive the services they need. Note: The circuit clerk’s office is currently without phone service, but expects to resolve this issue later this evening. 

For the latest updates, including potential changes to service hours or additional closures, please check the Monroe County Clerk’s Facebook page and website.