T-L Photo/ROBERT A. DEFRANK This house off Ohio 9 near Warnock stands empty on Monday after a Sunday night basement fire spread and gutted it. No one was injured, according to Cumberland Trail Fire District officials.

WARNOCK — Multiple fire departments responded to a 911 call alerting them to a blaze at 6541 Warnock St. Clairsville Road a little after 9 p.m. Sunday.

No one was hurt, but the home was a total loss.

Belmont County “911 reported a house fire in the basement,” Cumberland Trail Fire Chief John Slavik said, adding that the blaze already had spread when responders arrived. “It was well-involved — rapidly took over the first and second floors. … It was already spread to the first floor (when firefighters arrived).”

Slavik said the residents, a husband and wife, were home when the fire started. They quickly exited and called 911. He said they are currently staying with relatives.

“The owner went down the stairs and saw fire, and he got out and she got out, too,” Slavik said, adding that the wind that night helped fan the flames.

Saving the structure was not a possibility, according to Slavik.

“It was too far gone. We did everything we could,” Slavik said, adding that firefighters could only contain the conflagration.

“Normally, we try to get the fire from the inside, take our attack lines into the house. We could not, at any point in this fire, make entry. The holes were burned through the floor. It was too much fire,” he said.

These conditions meant the firefighters had to remain on scene until they were certain no not spots would reignite.

“We were there from 9:11 p.m. ’til after 3 a.m.,” the chief noted.

Fire departments from Neffs, Barton, Martins Ferry and Wolfhurst assisted in fighting the fire. As a precautionary measure, the Belmont County Tanker Task Force was notified of the fire, but Slavik said good water flow was established and the task force was not needed.

Slavik said an investigator from the Ohio Fire Marshal’s Office has looked at the scene and has been unable to determine the cause of the blaze. Slavik said he believed the building might date to the 1920s.