Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue units were sent to 304 Carolina Circle north of Walterboro, Wednesday morning 16-November at 03:02. Engine 19 arrived to find a single-story residential dwelling with flames visible from the roof. All occupants had safely exited the structure. Firefighter-Paramedics deployed multiple handlines to combat the fire which was burning throughout the attic. Crews pulled the ceilings in several rooms to reach the flames. It appeared the fire originated in the chimney and spread to the attic. The electrical service line burned through and fell from the home. When the power went off, the occupants were awakened and discovered the fire which had already burned through a portion of the roof and they alerted 9-1-1.
Firefighters worked for about 20 minutes to bring the fire under control, but were on the scene for three hours. Most of the fire damage was contained to the attic and roof, however the remainder of the home suffered water and smoke damage. Many personal items were saved. Water supply was handled with Tenders.
Engine 19, Engine 26, Tender 1, Tender 5, Tender 19, Tender 26, Medic 1, Medic 19, Medic 26, Battalion 1, Car 12, Car 107, Car 110 and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Scott O’Quinn served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
An adult female was injured as she narrowly escaped a structure fire Tuesday morning 01-November. At 09:05, Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue was alerted for smoke coming from a home at 14436 Lowcountry Hwy. south of Ruffin. Engine 18 arrived to find heavy smoke conditions and flames visible from the south side of the single-story residential structure. Firefighter-Paramedics deployed two handlines and forced entry through the front door. They made an aggressive interior attack stopping the flames from reaching the north end of the building. The kitchen, utility room, and dining room suffered heavy fire damage, with the remainder of the home receiving smoke damage.
The homeowner, who works nights, had placed a load of clothes in the dryer before going to sleep. She was awakened by a popping noise and thick smoke. Being unable to escape through the hall, she was able to jump from a window in the bedroom. During the escape, the woman received a broken arm. No one else was at the home when the fire occurred and there were no working smoke detectors in the residence.
The fire started in the area of the clothes dryer which was located just off of the kitchen. The fire spread through the kitchen into the attic and under the floor. Firefighters used a chainsaw to cut some of the kitchen floor to reach the fire under the building. The woman was treated at the scene, then transported to Colleton Medical Center by Fire-Rescue Medic 13. Fire units were on the scene for four hours. Water supply was conducted with tenders.
Engine 4, Engine 10, Engine 15, Engine 18, Tender 4, Tender 13, Tender 15, Tender 18, Tender 90, Medic 13, Medic 18, Battalion 1 and Car 107 responded. Asst. Chief Marty Stallings served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
Six people were injured after a pickup truck rear ended a car carrier on I-95 near the 54 mile marker southbound in Colleton County (SC), Tuesday morning 20-September at 02:08. Both vehicles were traveling southbound when the collision occurred. The 2015 Silverado pickup truck overtook the tractor trailer car carrier and impacted the rear of the trailer, pushing the lower deck of cars forward and causing heavy damage to the pickup truck which was pinned to the trailer. The adult male driver of the pickup truck was trapped in the wreckage and suffered multiple traumatic injuries. An adult female and two female juveniles in car seats were also injured. Both adult male patients in the tractor trailer also complained of non-life threatening injuries.
First arriving Colleton County (SC) Firefighter-Paramedics on Medic 1 and Engine 1 requested three additional Fire-Rescue ambulances while they began treating the injured. One lane of southbound I-95 was closed. Crews used Holmatro rescue tools from Engine 1 to remove the driver’s door and free the driver. He was transported emergent to the trauma center at Trident Medical in Summerville by Medic 19. The other patients were transported to Colleton Medical Center. The driver of the tractor trailer denied ambulance transport.
Two dogs also escaped the pickup truck. Firefighters caught one dog and secured him until Animal Control officers arrived. Personnel and Animal Control units searched the area between Exits 53 and 57 for an hour but were unable to locate the second canine. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the accident.
Engine 1, Medic 1, Medic 13, Medic 19, Medic 26, Battalion 1 and Car 12 responded. Battalion Chief Scott O’Quinn served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A 33-year-old male was critically injured in a two-car MVC in the 1700 block of Sidneys Road near Sunshine Lane Wednesday afternoon 31-August at 12:38. The accident occurred about three miles north of Walterboro (SC). Apparently a Cadillac turned into the path of a small SUV causing a “T” impact into the driver’s side. There was over two feet of intrusion, heavily entrapping the driver.
The man received critical multiple traumatic injuries. Colleton County (SC) Firefighter-Paramedics began treatment while he was still trapped in the car. Crews used the winch from Battalion 1 to move the SUV from the side of the Cadillac, then used Holmatro rescue tools to remove the driver’s door and displace the dash in order to free the driver. His condition rapidly deteriorated and he stopped breathing shortly after the extrication was complete.
Due to his unstable condition, he was rapidly transported in Fire-Rescue Medic 1 to Colleton Medical Center (CMC) with two additional firefighter-paramedics assisting with his care. The driver of the SUV was also treated at the scene and transported with non-life threatening injuries to CMC in Medic 19. Sidneys Road in the area of the accident was blocked for over an hour. The SC Hwy Patrol is investigating the crash.
Engine 19, Medic 1, Medic 19, Rescue 1, Battalion 1, Car 105, Car 107, Car 117 and Car 119 responded. Battalion Chief Ben Heape served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief , Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A 21-year-old male received multiple traumatic injuries in a single-car crash in the 5400 block of Sidneys Road north of Walterboro (SC) Thursday evening 25-August at 22:55. The northbound Chevrolet Trailblazer left the roadway in a curve at a high rate of speed. The vehicle crossed into the southbound lane, struck the ditch and overturned, striking several trees. A large tree impacted at the driver’s side “A” post, crushing the dash onto the patient’s legs, trapping him upside down in the car.
Colleton County Firefighter-Paramedics found the male conscious, but with multiple complaints. Crews began treating him inside the vehicle, while other firefighters began the process of extricating him from the wreckage. The vehicle was stabilized, prior to firefighters using Holmatro Rescue Tools to remove the driver’s door. Crews worked for another 30 minutes to displace the dash and free the patient’s legs. He was extricated with full spinal precautions, then transported emergent in Fire-Rescue Medic 19 to the trauma center at Trident Medical in Summerville. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
Engine 19, Medic 19, Rescue 1, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Ben Heape served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A large portion of a building was destroyed in a mid-morning fire at a closed lumber mill east of Cottageville, SC Saturday morning 09-July. A caller to 9-1-1 reported the building was heavily involved and involved stacks of lumber. Colleton County Fire-Rescue (SC) Engine 9 arrived to find the structure well involved and a portion of the roof had already collapsed.
Firefighters deployed multiple 2-1/2 and 1-3/4 handlines to combat the blaze. A second alarm was requested for additional tenders and personnel. Mutual aid was also requested from Dorchester County Fire-Rescue, who responded with personnel from the Sandhill Station.
The building contained several conveyor systems used to process lumber. When the plant closed over five years ago, the processes were ongoing. Conveyors still contained raw timber (uncut trees), several lines of raw and finished lumber, and approximately a dozen carts for finished lumber stacked five feet in height with wood products. The rear portion of the building was a total loss, including most of the machinery, however firefighters were able to stop the advance of the fire to the front portion of the building, saving half of the structure.
Firefighters endured 104 degree temperatures and were on the scene for 4-1/2 hours. Water supply was conducted with a water shuttle using a dry hydrant located 2 miles from the scene. There was no power to the building and it is believed the fire started from a lighting strike during a severe thunder storm earlier in the morning.
Engine 9, Engine 902, Engine 19, Tender 2, Tender 9, Tender 19, Tender 27, Tender 32, Medic 1, Medic 9, Medic 19, Battalion 1, Car 107 and two Dorchester County units responded.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A Walterboro (SC) man died from injuries he received in a single car, high speed crash on I-95 Friday afternoon (2/19/16) at 17:49. The female driver suffered multiple injuries and was flown by helicopter to the trauma center at MUSC in Charleston, SC. Multiple callers to 9-1-1 reported the car left the roadway and rolled over multiple times before striking several trees. The Jeep Cherokee suffered heavy damage in the collision trapping both occupants. Colleton County (SC) Firefighter-Paramedics arrived to find the car upright in the median against two large trees. The female driver was conscious. The male occupant had no signs of life.
Crews used Holmatro Rescue Tools to remove the driver’s door and displace some debris to free the woman. A medical helicopter was placed on standby at Colleton Medical Center (CMC). Once the extrication was completed, the woman was treated at the scene, then transported in Fire-Rescue Medic 13 to meet with LifeNet 4 at CMC. The male was extricated and then transported from the scene by the Coroner’s Office after they completed their investigation. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the accident.
Engine 13, Engine 27, Medic 1, Medic 13, Rescue 1, Battalion 1, Car 107 and Car 109 responded. Battalion Chief Dan Barb served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
