A Parkersburg man died in a fire early Wednesday morning, the Parkersburg Fire Department said.
The call came in around 3:45 a.m., Captain Tim Flinn with the fire department said.
A tenant in the eight-unit apartment building at 801 8th St. in Parkersburg called 911 after smelling what she thought might be smoke, Flinn said.
Firefighters found soot on a locked upstairs apartment, Flinn said. They forced entry and when they did, found a man lying in a hallway within the apartment, he said.
They found the remains of a fire, largely self-extinguished, but still smoldering, in a spare room, Flinn said.
Firefighters attempted to save the man, but he was already dead, Flinn said.
He declined to name the man, but local media have identified him as Steve George, a former Wood County magistrate.
Flinn said the death was fire related - it appears to be smoke inhalation - but no major visible burns were found on the body.
The fire department called local police and the state fire marshal, and at this time, pending an autopsy, they do not suspect foul play, Flinn said. The fire appears to be accidental, he said.
Firefighters found no working smoke detectors in the apartment, Flinn said. They found one smoke detector but it had no battery.
No other apartments were damaged, but they had to ventilate the building, Flinn said.