W.Va. State Fire Marshals begin preplanned Wood Co. Inspections

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office will be conducting preplanned, followup inspections of properties owned by the Naik Companies, in the wake of the October 2017 fire at the Intercontinental Export Import, Inc. (IEI) Plastics Recycling warehouse.

Assistant state fire marshals along with officials from the Department of Environmental Protection will visit several facilities. These inspections are following up from previous visits. They are being conducted as preventative measures, and have not been prompted by any recent complaints or concerns. In addition, other non-Naik Company facilities in the area will be part of the inspection process.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office is working with company officials and will provide recommendations or direction, if needed, for basic life-safety practices. These practices include the placement of emergency lighting, criteria for proper exits and making sure sprinkler and fire alarm systems are repaired and operating. 

Oct. 21 marks the first anniversary of the industrial fire at the old Ames Plant, more recently known as the IEI Plastic Recycling warehouse. The cause of that fire remains undetermined in cause and under investigation. It took 39 departments from West Virginia and Ohio to extinguish the that fire over a two-week period.