A yard debris fire spread to a home at 510 Bee Street west of Walterboro (SC) Thursday afternoon, 27-February. At 15:54, Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue was notified that the fire had burned under the residence and the home was full of smoke. Engine 24 arrived six minutes later to find heavy smoke coming from the singlewide mobile home and flames under the full length of the building extending up the walls in several places.
Barry McRoy photo
Barry McRoy photo
Firefighters deployed two 1-3/4 handlines with one crew working the front of the home and the other extinguishing flames at the rear. After five minutes, most of the exterior flames were extinguished, but the fire had burned into the walls along the back of the mobile home and in several places along the front. Firefighters removed the exterior metal siding and pulled up the floor in multiple rooms to reach the remaining flames.
Barry McRoy photo
Barry McRoy photo
A great deal of personal items were salvaged, but the home suffered heavy damage. The fire was caused by a few leaf piles that were burning in the yard. Light winds of 10 mph spread the fire through the yard until it burned underneath the mobile home. The fire then spread to the structure. All occupants safely exited the building. Water supply was conducted with tenders. The Charleston Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the family.
Barry McRoy photo
Engine 19, Engine 24, Engine 27, Tender 1, Tender 19, Tender 27, Medic 19, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Scott Feather served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
At 04:35 Tuesday morning 11-February, Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue was notified of a structure fire at 1373 Beavers Pass Road east of the Town of Smoaks. The home was located on a rural secondary road. The caller to 9-1-1 reported the home was fully involved. Engine 18 arrived 8 minutes later to find the home completely destroyed, with little left standing. Two campers, two pickup trucks, and the single-story wood frame home next to the structure were also well involved.
Firefighters deployed three handlines to combat the flames, which were driven by moderate winds. A second alarm was requested for additional personnel and tenders. Water supply was conducted with tenders shuttling water from a hydrant a mile away in the Town of Smoaks. Crews worked for 35 minutes to bring the fires under control, but were on the scene for four hours. A neighbor advised fire department personnel that two people lived in the residence, but their over the road truck was gone. Firefighters searched the debris but did not find any evidence of a person in the residence. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Engine 7, Engine 18, Tender 4, Tender 7, Tender 18, Tender 23, Tender 26, Medic 18, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 111 responded. Battalion Chief Ben Heape and Firefighter-Paramedic Steve Sanders operated the Command Post.
Photos by Harold Buzzell
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A Smoaks family was displaced after a fire heavily damaged their home Saturday afternoon 01-February. At 15:10, 9-1-1 operators received a call from a child reporting the residential fire at 906 Sunrise Road. The caller advised the home was on fire and that everyone had exited the building.
Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke conditions with flames coming from the front and rear of the small doublewide mobile home. Crews deployed one 1-3/4 handline and made entry into the building. They quickly knocked down the flames in the front of the building, but experienced difficulty in reaching the fire in the rear of the structure.
Barry McRoy photo
The building’s interior had been modified into a residence from a retired mobile classroom at the old Smoaks Middle School. A bathroom and small hallway had been constructed along the back of the mobile home creating a void space, which was initially difficult to find when firefighters entered the building. The fire had begun to spread through the attic space, but was contained over the original fire room.
Barry McRoy photo
Two adults and two children were able to flee the fire by retreating into a rear bedroom. A woman broke out the window, then jumped from the structure. She injured her ankle, but was still able to assist the others in their escape. The other adult handed the children out of the window before jumping to safety. Firefighter-Paramedics treated the woman at the scene, then transported her to Colleton Medical Center in Medic 18. She was later released from the ED.
Firefighters were on the scene for over two hours. The cause of the fire appears to have been electrical in nature, starting near the front door. The main living room-kitchen were heavily damaged, but the two bedrooms were saved, allowing the family to salvage some personal items.
Engine 7, Engine 18, Engine 26, Engine 27, Tender 4, Tender 5, Tender 7, Tender 26, Tender 27, Medic 18, Medic 26, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 105 responded. Battalion Chief Ben Heape served as Incident Commander.
A Rentz Drive home was heavily damaged by a mid-day fire Saturday, 28-December. At 14:18, Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue was notified of smoke coming from the attic of a home at 355 Rentz Drive near the rural Hudson Mill Community. Engine 1 arrived six minutes later to find flames across the roof of the one story residential dwelling. Firefighters used a deck gun to knock down the heavy flames, then deployed multiple handlines to combat the fire. The roof collapsed shortly after fire units arrived. Crews had the fire under control in less than 30 minutes, but were on the scene for 2-1/2 hours. Water supply was conducted with a tender shuttle. Engine 26 setup drafting operations at a dry hydrant in a pond approximately one mile from the scene.
Barry McRoy photo
Barry McRoy photo
Barry McRoy photo
Barry McRoy photo
All of the occupants were able to safely exit the building when they discovered the fire. Most of the fire damage was isolated to the attic and roof, but the living area suffered water damage and drop down debris from the attic. Many personal items were salvageable, but the home suffered substantial damage. The origin of the fire appears to have been electrical in nature. The Charleston Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the family.
Barry McRoy photo
Barry McRoy photo
Engine 1, Engine 26, Tender 1, Tender 4, Tender 8, Tender 15, Tender 26, Tender 27, Medic 1, Medic 26, Battalion 1 and Car 12 responded. Battalion Chief Brent Dalton served as Incident Commander.
While units were still on the scene of a structure fire on Poplar Street, Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue was dispatched to a second structure fire one block away at 301 Edgewood Street. Firefighters at the Poplar Street incident were still performing overhaul and breaking down lines when this fire was dispatched.
Tender 26 was able to leave the Poplar Street incident and drive around the corner while additional units were also responding. Tender 26 found a single-story, block residence fully involved. The 3000-gallon E-One tender is equipped for firefighting operations. Firefighters deployed two 1-3/4 handlines to combat the blaze and had the bulk of the fire knocked down within 15 minutes, but were on the scene for two hours.
Barry McRoy photo
Barry McRoy photo
Barry McRoy photo
Tender 19 supplied water to Tender 26. Three engines responded, but only needed to standby and supply hand tools. The home was vacant and did not have power connected. Due to the close proximity to the other fire and the suspicious nature of the origin, the Sheriff’s Office and State Police (SLED) Arson Unit were contacted to assist with the investigation. SLED sent two agents to the scene. The building remained standing, but suffered heavy damage.
Barry McRoy photo
Barry McRoy photo
Barry McRoy photo
Engine 19, Engine 24, Engine 26, Tender 1, Tender 19, Tender 26, Tender 27, Medic 1, Medic 19, Medic 26, Rescue 1, Battalion 1, Car 2 and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Scott Feather served as Incident Commander. Engine 1, Engine 5, Engine 13, Medic 9 and Medic 13 were relocated during the incident.
A Poplar Street home was destroyed in an early morning fire Friday 27-December. At 02:55, Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue was notified of the house with flames coming out of the windows. Engine 19 arrived minutes later to find the single-story wood-frame residential dwelling fully-involved, with flames 40 feet in the air. An unattached, two-story garage behind the home was threatened. Firefighters deployed two 1-3/4 handlines and one 2-1/2 handline to combat the fire. Engine 19 attempted to use a deck gun, but was not effective reaching the building due to trees in the yard. A second alarm was issued 20 minutes into the incident for additional personnel and tenders.
Barry McRoy photo
Barry McRoy photo
Barry McRoy photo
Barry McRoy photo
The roof over the center of the structure collapsed shortly after arrival. Water supply was conducted with a tender shuttle. It took firefighters about 30 minutes to bring the fire under control. The home was a rental property and was not occupied, however it did have power connected. The building was heavily damaged and almost completely destroyed. The separate garage was not damaged.
While crews were finishing overhaul operations, a second, well-involved structure fire one block from this residence was reported. Tender 26 was able to be freed from this scene, responded to the other fire and began firefighting efforts. Due to the close proximity and the suspicious nature of the fires, the Sheriff’s Office and State Police (SLED) Arson Unit were contacted to assist with the investigation.
Engine 19, Engine 24, Tender 1, Tender 19, Tender 26, Tender 27, Medic 1, Medic 19, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Scott Feather served as Incident Commander.
A Futrell Lane home was heavily damaged in a mid-afternoon fire Wednesday 20-November. At 14:29, neighbors notified 9-1-1 that they could see smoke and flames coming from a single-wide mobile home and the yard was on fire. Colleton County (SC) Engine 5 arrived minutes later to find the mobile home 50% involved. The roof and floor in half of the structure had already collapsed. Bystanders advised they thought a woman who lived there was still inside the residence.
Firefighters deployed multiple handlines and entered the building through a rear door. A quick search of the remaining smoke filled building did not reveal any occupants. Crews stopped the spread of the fire saving half of the structure, but most items inside were heavily damaged by heat, smoke and water. Firefighters spent approximately 1-1/2 hours overhauling the building, while searching the debris for any victims. The resident eventually showed up about two hours into the incident. She had not been at home when the fire occurred.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. Sheriff’s deputies found many items indicating illicit activity may have been carried on in the home. Officials from the DEA responded to the scene and were investigating through the night.
Engine 5, Engine 9, Tender 9, Tender 19, Tender 27, Tender 32, Medic 9, Battalion 1, Car 12, Car 111, Car 118 and Car 119 responded. Battalion Chief Ben Heape served as Incident Commander.
