At 05:53 on Friday morning 22-September, Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue was notified of a two vehicle MVC on I-95 north of the 55 mile marker northbound involving two large trucks. One was reported to be a car carrier and the caller advised the second truck was down an embankment and was too mangled to tell what it was. Engine 1 arrived minutes later to report a car carrier was blocking one lane on the bridge and the second vehicle was a single-unit box truck that was over turned and down an embankment. It appeared the tractor-trailer struck the rear of the box truck, forced it over the bridge railing and down the embankment at the Great Swamp overpass. Both vehicles suffered heavy damage. The box portion was on its side, while the frame was twisted. The cab was upside down and the driver’s side was crushed after striking several trees. The truck driver, who was still wearing a seatbelt, was inverted and trapped in the wreckage. The box truck was empty and the car carrier was hauling new Porsche automobiles. A second ambulance was requested and the C.A.R.E. Flight medical helicopter was placed on standby.
Fire-Rescue crews used a chain saw to clear a path to the truck cab, then carried equipment down to the scene. Firefighter-paramedics removed the remaining glass and crawled into the mangled cab from the passenger side, but could only access the driver’s upper body. His lower body was pinned between the roof, dash, and floor. He appeared to have suffered multiple traumatic injuries including injuries to his legs. Paramedics began treating his injuries, including IVs and pain medications. Other crewmembers used Holmatro hydraulic rescue tools and saws to cut away and displace potions of the cab to free the man. The tedious extrication took over 2-1/2 hours.
When the patient was removed from the truck, he was transported by Medic 1 to Colleton Medical Center in Walterboro. The medical helicopter was cancelled. The driver of the car carrier was not injured. One northbound lane was blocked, causing traffic to back up approximately four miles. The SC Highway Patrol and State Transport Police are investigating the accident. Fire-Rescue units were on scene for four hours.
Engine 1, Rescue 1, Medic 1, Medic 19, Battalion 1, Car 105, Car 107, Car 110, Car 111, Car 112 and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Brent Dalton served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
At 00:36, Wednesday morning 16-August, a passerby reported seeing flames coming from a residence in the 4000 block of Jefferies Highway, north of Walterboro, SC. The caller advised he could see fire coming from both sides of the roof. Colleton County Fire-Rescue Engine 19 arrived minutes later to find a single-story, wood structure approximately 50% involved.
Heavy fire conditions were found at the rear of the building, with two rooms already collapsed. The fire had already spread to the attic. Firefighter-paramedics deployed several handlines to combat the fire. A tender shuttle operation was initiated for water supply. Crews quickly stopped the spread of the fire at the rear of the structure, however the fire in the attic spread to the front of the building. Firefighters pulled the ceiling in the front rooms to extinguish the fire above those rooms, saving many of the belongings. The front rooms suffered smoke and water damage.
Units were on the scene for 4 hours. A cat and small dog are unaccounted for. Firefighters searched the building and the surrounding wooded area with thermal imagers, but could not located the animals. The family was out of town when the fire occurred. The cause is under investigation.
Engine 19, Engine 26, Tender 1, Tender 19, Tender 26, Tender 27, Medic 1, Medic 19, Medic 26, Battalion 1, Car 105, Car 110, Car 112 and Car 118 responded. Deputy Chief David Greene and Captain John Schneider operated the Command Post.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A Stanley Ave family lost their home to an early morning fire Sunday 11-June. The location is a rural dirt road approximately 2 miles south of Walterboro, SC. At 03:43, 9-1-1 was notified of a well-involved house fire at 461 Stanley Ave. Colleton County (SC) Engine 1 arrived to find the single-story, wooden dwelling fully involved. The home was originally a farm house constructed in the 1920s. The homeowner was awakened by the smell of smoke and found fire in the front of the residence. He was able to quickly evacuate the other family members to safety, however several dogs and two birds perished in the blaze.
The family made attempts to rescue the animals, but were driven from the home by the fire and thick smoke. Firefighter-paramedics deployed one 2-1/2 handline and three 1-3/4 lines to combat the fire. Crews worked for nearly 35 minutes to bring the fire under control and were on the scene for five hours performing overhaul. The family lost most of their belongings. A pickup truck and boat were also destroyed. Water supply was conducted using a tender shuttle from a pressurized hydrant approximately two miles from the incident location. Water supply was initially hampered due to a live power line that fell across the single lane dirt road. The fire appears to have been electrical in origin. The American Red Cross is assisting the family.
Engine 1, Engine 27, Tender 1, Tender 4, Tender 8, Tender 26, Medic 1, Medic 13, Medic 26, Battalion 1, Car 110, Car 112, and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Scott O’Quinn served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
Ten people were injured, one critically, in a high-speed, five-car collision on Interstate 95 near the 64 mile marker southbound in Colleton County SC, Monday afternoon 22-May at 13:41. All vehicles were traveling southbound when several collided causing a Nissan Altima to drive under the trailer of a tractor-trailer truck. The car became wedged under the trailer and the rear tandem wheels drove up over the car crushing the front seat passenger in the car.
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
The 45-year old Florida woman was conscious, but suffered multiple traumatic injuries. The wheels of the trailer where on top of her legs. A military medic stopped and treated the woman prior to Fire-Rescue arriving. The southbound lanes of I-95 were blocked due to the wreckage and debris. Heavy traffic backed up for several miles, hampering emergency units from reaching the accident. Once on scene, Fire-Rescue units began treating the injured and stabilizing the tractor trailer and Nissan.
The female patient was found to be heavily entrapped in the wreckage with little access. There was approximately three feet of intrusion into the passenger compartment. Firefighter-paramedics treated her in the car and used Holmatro rescue tools to remove the driver’s side doors and roof. Other crewmembers built a box crib under the rear axles of the trailer, then used small hydraulic jacks and Holmatro high-pressure air bags to lift the trailer approximately 18 inches off of the car. A winch on a fire department vehicle was used to pull the car from under the trailer.
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
The patient remained trapped under the door and dash which was crushed down on her lower extremities. Crews rigged chains to the door and a nearby guard rail support, then used Holmatro spreaders to pull the door off of the patient. Another set of spreaders was used to displace the dash to free the patient. After 49 minutes, she was extricated with spinal precautions, then transported emergent to the trauma center at Trident Medical Center in Medic 26. No helicopters could fly due to poor weather conditions.
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
Two other patients were transported with non-life threatening injuries to Colleton Medical Center by Medic 9. The remaining patients were treated at the scene for various traumatic injuries, but did not require ambulance transportation. Southbound traffic on I-95 was backed up for eight miles. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
Engine 5, Engine 26, Rescue 1, Medic 1, Medic 9, Medic 26, Car 105, Car 109, Car 110, Car 111, Car 116, and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Scott Feather served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
Three families were displaced following a fire in an apartment building located at 2275 Green Pond Hwy. Wednesday afternoon 10-May. At 14:28, Colleton County 9-1-1 received the first report of the incident with the caller reporting flames coming from the roof of the two-story building. Colleton County (SC) Engine 19 was in the area and arrived minutes later to find heavy smoke conditions and flames visible from the rear of the building and the roof. Firefighter-paramedics deployed three handlines and entered the building through the front doors of the two upper floor apartments. All occupants had safely exited the structure. Crews encountered heavy fire conditions on the second floor. The fire appeared to have started on the second story back porch and spread into the common attic. Heavy fire conditions were found in the attic and one upper apartment.
Crews worked for about 20 minutes to bring the fire under control, but were on the scene for four hours performing overhaul. The fire was contained to the attic and one, second story apartment. The occupants of that apartment lost all of their belongings. The other second story apartment was vacant. The lower apartments suffered smoke and water damage, but most personal items were saved. A tender shuttle was established for water supply. Sheriff’s deputies rerouted traffic on Green Pond Hwy. for several hours. The Red Cross is assisting the families.
Engine 1, Engine 19, Tender 1, Tender 6, Tender 19, Tender 26, Tender 27, Medic 1, Medic 6, Medic 19, Medic 26, Battalion 1, Car 27, Car 109, and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Ben Heape served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A truck driver is credited with saving the lives of three people following a multi-vehicle accident on I-95 near the 49 mile marker northbound, Sunday 30-April at 09:53 in Colleton County, SC. Apparently, a car collided with a pickup truck causing the pickup to spin out of control on the rain slick highway. The car slid down the embankment and struck a tree trapping the male driver. The pickup truck came to rest sideways in the travel lanes. A northbound tractor-trailer was able to stop quickly and maneuver sideways stopping within two feet of the driver’s door of the disabled pickup truck avoiding a collision. A second northbound pickup truck drove into the rear of the tractor trailer at a high rate of speed with about five feet of the truck going under the back of the trailer. The male driver of the second pickup truck was heavily entrapped in his vehicle.
Both northbound lanes of I-95 were blocked by the wreckage. The first Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue unit found the driver of the second pickup truck conscious but entrapped. A medical helicopter was requested, but declined the flight due to poor weather conditions. The driver of the car was also trapped with the roof crushed into the passenger compartment. The man had no pulse and was not breathing. The Coroner’s Office was notified.
Firefighter-Paramedics removed debris from the passenger side of the pickup truck and were able to enter the vehicle. Access to the patient was limited, but patient care was initiated while other crewmembers deployed Holmatro rescue tools, using hydraulic spreaders to remove the driver’s door. Crews had the tractor trailer driver carefully pull the truck forward about three feet to provide room to displace the dash. The hydraulic spreader was used to push the dash forward and off of the patient who was extricated with spinal precautions and transported emergent by Medic 13 to the trauma center at Trident.
When the Coroner’s Office completed their investigation, extrication began on the passenger car. Hydraulic spreaders were used to remove the driver’s door, then cutters were used to remove the front section of the roof to free the driver who was transported by the Coroner’s Office. A female passenger in the same vehicle received only minor injuries and was transported to Colleton Medical Center by Medic 26. Northbound traffic on I-95 was stopped in the area of the accident for over two hours.
Engine 1, Rescue 1, Medic 1, Medic 13, Medic 26, Battalion 1, and Car 109 responded. Battalion Chief Brent Dalton served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy ,Fire Chief ,Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A Ruffin (SC) family of six was displaced following a structure fire at 7434 Ruffin Road Friday evening 24-March at 22:20. The family advised they smelled smoke earlier before discovering flames coming from the roof and front porch. Colleton County Fire-Rescue Engine 18 arrived to find the single-story, wood-frame structure well involved with flames coming from the roof at the front and rear of the building and from several windows. All six occupants, two adults and four children, escaped without injury. Two canines perished in the fire.
Firefighters used a deck gun and deployed two 1-3/4 handlines. They had the fire under control within 25 minutes, but were on scene performing overhaul for four hours. The home suffered extensive damage and the family lost most belongings. Water supply was handled with a tender shuttle. The fire appears to have started in electrical wiring in the area of the attic near the front porch. The Red Cross is assisting the family.
Engine 10, Engine 18, Tender 4, Tender 15, Tender 18, Tender 23, Tender 26, Tender 27, Medic 18, Medic 26, Rescue 1, Squad 23, Battalion 1, Car 27, and Car 109 responded. Battalion Chief Brent Dalton served as incident commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
