A home located at 601 Enoch Road was heavily damaged by an electrical fire Tuesday evening 02-December. The incident was reported at 17:40 when the family smelled smoke in the home. Upon investigating the smell, they found smoke at the ceiling level of the master bedroom and called 9-1-1.
Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue Engine 31 arrived minutes later to find heavy smoke conditions and flames visible from a window at the front of the residence. Firefighters deployed multiple handlines and entered the structure through the front door. They encountered heavy fire conditions and issued a second alarm.
Firefighters knocked down the fire in the living area from the front hallway, but had problems reaching the fire in the attic. The older wood frame home had several additions, with layers of sheet rock over tongue and groove as well as two roof additions covered with metal. Approximately 25 minutes passed before the fire was brought under control, however overhaul took several hours.
The family was able to safely exit the building. Investigators determined the fire originated near an electrical junction box in the attic over the master bedroom. Fire-Rescue responded to the same residence two weeks earlier for a similar incident with a shorted electrical box over one of the additions near the rear of the home. The Charleston Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the family.
Engine 4, Engine 10, Engine 18, Engine 31, Tender 1, Tender 4, Tender 13, Tender 15, Tender 26, Tender 27, Tender 29, Medic 18, Medic 26, Battalion 1, Car 12, and Car 107 responded. Battalion Chief Dan Barb served as incident commander.
Photos by Harold Buzzell
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
An Oakman Branch family was displaced after their home was destroyed in a late afternoon house fire, Friday evening 09-January. At 16:38, a caller reported the back of the home at 11138 Augusta Highway was ablaze. Colleton County (SC) Firefighters arrived to the rural community near I-95 eleven minutes later to find the 4,800 square foot, two-story house fully involved. A second alarm was issued shortly after arrival and a portion of the roof collapsed within two minutes of Engine 26 arriving on the scene. Firefighters used a truck mounted deck gun, deployed a ground monitor, a 2-1/2 handline, and multiple 1-3/4 handlines to combat the fire. A tender shuttle was established for water supply since no fire hydrants were in the area.
A third alarm was issued for additional tenders and personnel approximately ten minutes after arrival. The main structure collapsed nine minutes later. The fire was contained within 35 minutes and was under control approximately an hour later. Firefighters remained on the scene for six hours performing overhaul. Nine of Fire-Rescue’s 3,000-gallon tenders shuttled water for four hours.
The home owner advised he started a fire in the home’s fireplace. It was the first time they had used the fireplace since the home was constructed 15 years prior. Approximately 15 minutes later he saw flames through a window on the rear of the home. Upon investigating he found the back of the house and roof were on fire. He was able to evacuate everyone from the home safely and notify 9-1-1. No one was injured during the incident and the American Red Cross is assisting the family. Off-duty personnel were called in to back fill some stations.
Engine 13, Engine 17, Engine 19, Engine 26, Tender 5, Tender 6, Tender 7, Tender 9, Tender 18, Tender 19, Tender 26, Tender 27, Tender 32, Rescue 1, Medic 18, Medic 26, Battalion 1, Car 12, Car 118, Car 105, Car 107 responded. Battalion Chief Ben Heape served as incident commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A home and detached garage at 505 Meeting House Lane were destroyed in an afternoon fire Monday 01-December. At 12:53, Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue was notified of a possible electrical fire at this location. Engine 36 arrived 9 minutes later to the rural dirt road and found the one-story, wood-frame dwelling and a detached garage well involved. Firefighters deployed one 2-1/2 handline and two 1-3/4 handlines to combat the fire.
The home contained a large fire load contributing to the intense flames. The fire also spread across the yard approximately 50 feet to a two-story barn, but firefighters were able to stop the flames before they damaged the barn. The home was located near the end of Meeting House Lane on a private dirt section along the Edisto River. The narrow overgrown road presented access problems for fire apparatus. Engine 36 made a 550 feet lay of 3-inch line from the intersection of Pocket Lane down to the residence. Engine 9 supplied Engine 36 from a water shuttle operation. Tenders staged on the paved portion of Meeting House Lane. The home and garage were a complete loss. A van near the house was also damaged.
The homeowner noted that she was operating a pottery kiln at the rear of the residence. A short time later she heard crackling noises and found the rear of the home on fire. The flames quickly spread throughout the residence and to the detached garage. Firefighter-Paramedics were on the scene for four and half hours. The Charleston Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the woman.
Engine 9, Engine 36, Tender 5, Tender 9, Tender 11, Tender 19, Tender 27, Tender 32, Medic 9, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Ben Heape served as incident commander.
Photos by Harold Buzzell
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A local rural landmark was destroyed in an early morning fire Sunday 04-May. At 04:54, Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue was sent to 26409 Augusta Highway, Brandy’s Social Club, for a reported fire in a building. Engine 9 arrived to find the building had already been destroyed and was almost burned out. The approximately 40’ x 45’ block structure had been known for the last several decades as the Edisto Tackle Shop and had a colorful past. It was most recently operated as Brandy’s.
Firefighters deployed two 1-3/4” handlines to extinguish the fire. The block enclosure was all that remained of the building, with a little wood around the top of the blocks still burning. The roof and all materials inside the building had burned long before the fire was spotted.
A single-story home located 20 feet away suffered minor exterior damage. A man traveling to work noticed the fire and alerted 9-1-1. The owner responded to the scene and advised us that the establishment was closed a little after midnight. A patron came back to the scene after daybreak, noting he picked up his car around 03:00 and did not notice anything wrong. The doors were still padlocked when firefighters arrived. Units were on the scene for a little over four hours. Water supply was handled with tenders. The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident.
Engine 9, Engine 902, Tender 5, Tender 9, Tender 903, Tender 19, Medic 9, Medic 19, Battalion 1 and Car 12 responded. Battalion Chief Dan Barb served as Incident Commander.
A yard debris fire quickly escalated into a three-alarm response which destroyed three homes, a storage building and damaged a large, abandoned, wooden dwelling. Approximately 10 acres of woods and brush were also burned.
At 13:42 Thursday 27-March, Colleton County 9-1-1 was notified by a caller who stated a yard debris fire had spread to two houses near 47 Harry Lane. The location is a dirt road located in a rural community in southern Colleton County off of Catterton Lane. Engine 13 arrived nine minutes later to find one single-story structure fully involved. The roof had already collapsed. A doublewide mobile home was also fully involved and a second doublewide mobile home was approximately 50% involved.
Harold Buzzell photo
Light winds had driven the fire across a broom straw field and into several wooded areas north and west of the structure fires. The fast moving grass/woods fire was threatening several other homes in the area. Engine 13 and the crew from Medic 13 deployed handlines to protect a mobile home near the third structure and two large LP tanks in the yard. Tender 13 was directed to Rufus Lane to the head of the woods fire to protect homes on Rufus Lane.
Harold Buzzell photo
Harold Buzzell photo
A second alarm and Forestry were requested. Engine 13 set up a ground monitor and directed the stream on the third structure, while crewmembers worked to extinguish the fires. When Battalion 1 arrived, he assumed command of the incident and requested a third alarm along with several brush trucks. Multiple handlines and master stream devices were used to bring the fire under control. The Forestry Commission responded with three tractors and a Ranger. Two homes were completely destroyed by the fire. The third structure, a doublewide mobile home suffered heavy damage, but several rooms were salvaged. A fourth wooden structure, that was vacant received minor damage. Firefighters kept the flames from reaching six other homes near the location. No injuries were reported.
Harold Buzzell photo
Harold Buzzell photo
The fire originated in a yard debris pile behind 47 Harry Lane. The homeowner had been burning debris from the recent ice storm. Light winds spread the fire into a nearby hedgerow, then through the yard to a one-story wooden home. The flames quickly consumed the wooden building. The fire then moved to a nearby doublewide mobile home, then to the third doublewide mobile home. The yard fire rapidly spread into a nearby broom straw field with the winds droving the fire in several directions endangering other buildings in the neighborhood. Firefighters and Forestry personnel were on the scene for over 4-1/2 hours. Water supply was conducted with tenders.
Engine 3, Engine 8, Engine 13, Engine 27, Tender 1, Tender 4, Tender 8, Tender 13, Tender 15, Tender 18, Tender 19, Tender 22, Tender 25, Tender 27, Tender 29, Brush 2, Brush 8, Brush 15, Brush 24, Medic 6, Medic 13, Medic 18, Battalion 1, Car 12, Car 107, Car 111, Car 118, three Forestry tractors and a Ranger responded. Battalion Chief Ben Heape, Battalion Chief Scott Feather and Sd. Lt. Janet Laney operated the Command Post. Photos by Harold Buzzell.
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 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.
