W. Va. C.S.R. § 87-1-1 et seq. § §87-1-3
Reporting of Fire Incidents
Operative Text
§ 87-1-3. Reporting of Fire Incidents.
3.1. The fire chief of any organized public fire brigade, department or company shall report every fire
and non-fire incident to the State Fire Marshal. Every fire and non-fire incident response shall be reported
within 180 days after the date of the incident. Provided, that any fire or explosion involving human fatality,
arson or suspected arson shall be reported immediately.West Virginia Code of State Rules § 87-1-3 establishes a mandatory reporting obligation for organized public fire brigades, departments, and companies. The fire chief of any such organization must submit a report to the State Fire Marshal for every fire and non-fire incident, generally within 180 days of the incident date. However, incidents involving human fatalities, arson, or suspected arson carry a stricter requirement: those must be reported immediately rather than within the standard 180-day window.
Plain English — not legal advice.
For property owners and managers in West Virginia, § 87-1-3 is relevant context when a fire or other incident occurs at a rental property. The reporting obligation under this provision falls on the fire chief of the responding organized fire brigade, department, or company — not directly on the landlord. That said, compliant operators typically cooperate fully with fire officials and preserve records of any incident, particularly those involving fatalities, arson, or suspected arson, which trigger an immediate reporting requirement.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 87-1-3, tenants should be aware that when a fire or non-fire incident occurs at their residence, the responding fire chief is required by state regulation to report that incident to the West Virginia State Fire Marshal. For serious incidents — those involving fatalities, arson, or suspected arson — that report must be filed immediately. Tenants who believe a reportable incident has not been properly documented may consider reaching out to the State Fire Marshal's office or a local tenant-rights organization to understand what records may be available.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 26, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation