
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, November 13, 1994                   TAG: 9412050012
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: D-4   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: BRISTOL                                 LENGTH: Short

FIRE RAISES JURISDICTION QUESTION

After putting out a fire at a Wal-Mart Supercenter, firefighters from the city of Bristol and Washington County turned to another problem: Which one of them was supposed to get there first?

The Wal-Mart is under construction on a site that straddles the city-county line, although the building is in the county.

There were no injuries in the fire Friday afternoon, which began when hot tar being applied to the roof caught fire. The fire damaged about a third of the partially completed roof. It was not clear what caused the tar to ignite.

Because the first report of the fire - which reportedly was made from a construction crew trailer - came in to Bristol's Central Dispatch, the Bristol Volunteer Fire Department immediately rolled an engine toward the site, Lt. Walt Ford said.

``It was actually classified as a county fire, but we sent Engine 16 out,'' he said. ``When they called back and said what a large amount of smoke was visible, we went ahead and sent a ladder truck and another engine.''

Washington County authorities were notified as Bristol firefighters were on their way, and one engine from the Washington County Volunteer Fire Department and two trucks from the Goodson-Kinderhook Volunteer Fire Department also responded.

Ford said Bristol Volunteer Fire Department Chief Charles Denton will meet next week with City Manager Paul Spangler to help work out a policy that addresses under what circumstances city firefighters should respond to the county portion of the site in the future.

by CNB