Efforts Underway to Save the McIntosh

JACKSON COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS) — When you see flames like this, you get this kind of damage.

Crews from Grime Fighters, a junk removal and pressure washing company, are removing debris from the historic Mcintosh Community Building and Park after a fire ripped through the structure June 3 and filled the adjacent NYA hall with heavy smoke.

Volunteers are doing a more detailed cleanup and pulling any items that can be saved from the rubble.

Park officials were still completing an inventory of the damage for insurance purposes early Tuesday.

The mayor said there is a consensus to try to repair the heavily damaged historic home used for numerous civic events.

“If we are able to save it, we will save this building,” Ravenwood Mayor Josh Miller said. “I'm not sure what the future of the NYA hall is going to be with all the smoke damage. But if we can structurally save this building. I think it's an overall consensus with council and also our board of Parks and Rec, and RDA and everybody who's put a lot of time and effort into this. They want to see this saved because this thing was built in 1888. There's just too much history attached to it."

The State Fire Marshal's Office determined the blaze that gutted the building started accidentally in some electrical wiring.

The NYA hall has other issues that preceded the smoke damage.

“If I had it my way, I would like to see us modernize the NYA hall and keep the historic integrity of the Mcintosh,” Miller said.

The city had some insurance on the building and a GoFundMe drive has raised a couple of thousand dollars.

But looking at the third and second floor damage and the impact of thousands of gallons of water poured inside, it will be a big fix.

The city council is slated to get an update on the Mcintosh House at its 7 p.m. meeting Tuesday night.