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 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
Four people were injured, one critically, following a two car collision in the 800 block of Bells Hwy just east of Robertson Blvd in the City of Walterboro (SC). At 15:42, a car pulled out of Briarwood Road into the path of an eastbound pickup truck. The truck collided with the car in the driver’s door. Both vehicles received heavy damage and blocked Bells Hwy.
Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue Medic 26 arrived to find four patients and the critically injured driver of the passenger car. The car had over two and half feet of intrusion into the passenger compartment. Two additional ambulances were requested and a medical helicopter was dispatched to Colleton Medical Center (CMC). Firefighter-Paramedics treated all patients at the scene prior to transport.
The driver of the car was quickly immobilized and transported to the helipad at CMC. LifeNet 3 from Orangeburg met Medic 26, then flew the man to the trauma center at MUSC in Charleston. A female passenger in the car suffered non-life threatening, multi-traumatic injuries. She and a passenger in the pickup truck were transported to CMC. The driver of the pickup truck denied ambulance transportation to the hospital. Bells Highway in the area of the accident was closed for about an hour. The Walterboro Police Dept is investigating the crash.
Colleton County Fire-Rescue Medic 1, Medic 19, Medic 26, Battalion 1 and Car 12 responded. Walterboro City Engines 1, 2 and 3 and Walterboro Police also responded. Colleton Battalion Chief Ben Heape served as incident commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A vacant residence in the 4000 block of Wiggins Road was destroyed in an evening fire Wednesday 17-December. The initial call was received at 17:07. Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue Engine 6 arrived to find the single-story, wood-frame structure approximately 70% involved. The home is located in a remote rural area. Firefighter-Paramedics deployed multiple handlines to combat the fire.
The flames extended into a wooded area adjacent to the home and a tractor was requested from the Forestry Commission. Firefighters knocked down the heavy flames within 25 minutes, but were on the scene for 4 hours performing overhaul. Water supply was conducted with a tender shuttle. The Forestry Commission plowed a fire line around the property to contain the woods fire. The home had no power connected and the fire was apparently intentionally set. Fire investigators and the Sheriff’s Office are investigating the incident.
Engine 6, Engine 13, Tender 6, Tender 13, Tender 22, Tender 25, Medic 6, Medic 13, Battalion 1. and Car 107 responded. Asst. Chief Marty Stallings served as the incident commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A Round O Community family lost their home to an early morning fire Thursday 13-November. 9-1-1 received the first reports of the fire at 02:26, when a caller reported heavy flames from a doublewide mobile home. Sheriff’s deputies were the first to arrive and they reported the home had already collapsed. Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue Engine 9 arrived seven minutes later to find the fully involved dwelling with the roof already burned away. Firefighters initially used a deck gun to knock down the flames, then deployed two 1-3/4 hand lines to extinguish the remaining fire. They spent approx. 30 minutes working the fire and another 1-1/2 hours performing overhaul. The doublewide mobile home was destroyed and most personal items were lost. The fire is believed to have originated on the rear wall in an extension cord under a sofa. Two adults and three children were displaced. The Charleston Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the family.
Engine 9, Engine 19, Tender 2, Tender 5, Tender 9, Tender 19, Tender 36, Medic 9, Medic 19, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Scott Feather served as Incident Commander.
Incident # 14-06216 – At 20:30, a Ruffin (SC) man narrowly escaped his burning home Wednesday evening 22-October after he was awakened by the heat and smoke inside his residence. He attempted to extinguish the fire which he stated was above the stove before he was driven from the home. The man ran to a neighbor’s house to call 9-1-1. The caller advised she could see flames through the woods at 1627 Deliverance Road.
Colleton County Fire-Rescue Engine 18 arrived minutes later to find the cinderblock single-family dwelling over 50% involved. Firefighters used a deck gun in an attempt to stop the flames before deploying multiple handlines. The fire quickly spread to the remaining structure. Crews worked for thirty five minutes to bring the fire under control, but were on the scene for three and half hours. The house was destroyed. A tender shuttle was established to supply water for the firefighting effort. No injuries were reported in the incident. The Charleston Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the man who lost most of his belongings in the fire.
Engine 10, Engine 15, Engine 18, Engine 31, Tender 4, Tender 7, Tender 15, Tender 18, Tender 26, Medic 18, Battalion 1 and Car 12 responded. Battalion Chief Brent Dalton served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
