A house fire in West Virginia that killed a Rockingham County firefighter and his family is being investigated as an arson. State police say they are looking for suspects.

At the same time, family and friends of Dennis "Chip" Taylor are mourning their loss.

Taylor's friends say he was just a fun guy to be around, and he'll be greatly missed by the Rockingham County Fire Department family.

For at least 20 years, Woody Brown has known Taylor, taking classes together as kids and more recently working for the Rockingham County Fire Department.

"Growing up, you would've never thought he'd be serious enough to do this. But now he's, absolutely," says Brown.

Fire Chief Robert Symons says Taylor was proficient in all areas of firefighting and emergency services.

"But he brought a lot to us and he brought a lot to this department. And like I say, whoever you talk to, he brought a lot to you when you met him. He is one of those people you liked when you first met him," says Symons.

Most recently Taylor was a floater for the fire department, working all over the county.

Brown says Taylor was a prankster and always made work fun.

"Everybody always checked the schedule to see when they were working with him because they knew it was going to be, if nothing else, an interesting day," says Brown.

Brown says, if one word could describe him, it would be proud.

"He was proud of his work, of his accomplishments here. He was proud of his family and everything he's done," says Brown.

Symons says Taylor would frequently bring his kids to the stations.

"He was wonderful. He was a great dad. He talked a lot about his kids," says Symons.

While tough, many of the memories Brown and Symons have of Taylor bring smiles to their faces.

"We have a lot of memories, a lot of very fond memories about Chip, and that'll carry us through this," says Symons.

Taylor worked his last shift this past Wednesday at the Broadway Fire and Rescue Station.

Station members currently have a memorial set up where friends can come sign posters in his memory.