A Ruffin South Carolina family of seven, narrowly escaped an early morning house fire at 90 Blaine Court Friday 02-Janaury. At 02:54, 9-1-1 received the first report of the fire. The adult female advised one of the children in the home awakened her noting the house was on fire. She immediately discovered smoke in the residence and found a fire in the wall behind a television set in a small bedroom. She got everyone out of the house, went across the street to a neighbor’s home and called 9-1-1. Colleton County (SC) Engine 18 arrived minutes later to find the singlewide mobile home well involved. Firefighter-Paramedics deployed multiple handlines to extinguish the fire. They had the bulk of the flames knocked down within 15 minutes, but were on the scene performing overhaul for a little over two and half hours. The home was gutted and the family lost everything inside.

Fire-Rescue Medic 18 transported the woman and an 11 month old female to Colleton Medical Center. Firefighter-Paramedics treated them for smoke inhalation. The other four children and an adult male who was also in the residence were not injured and did not require medical attention. The home did not have smoke detectors. Fire investigators determined the fire started in an electrical outlet in one of the bedrooms. It rapidly spread through the singlewide mobile home from there. Water supply was provided with a tender shuttle. The Charleston Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the family.


Engine 18, Engine 26, Tender 4, Tender 13, Tender 18, Tender 26, Tender 27, Medic 18, Medic 26, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 117 responded. Battalion Chief Dan Barb served as incident commander.

Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue

Barry W. McRoy photo

Barry W. McRoy photo

Barry W. McRoy photo

Barry W. McRoy photo

Barry W. McRoy photo