A doublewide mobile home was heavily damaged in an early morning fire at 519 Fourth Street Saturday morning 12-November. Colleton County (SC) Engine 19 arrived at 01:33 to find the residence approximately 70% involved. Firefighter-Paramedics deployed multiple handlines to combat the fire and quickly knocked the flames. Most of the roof and floor on the rear unit had burned away. The home was found to be vacant and the fire appeared to be intentionally set. Firefighters were on the scene for three hours. Arson investigators from Fire-Rescue, State Police (SLED) and the Sheriff’s Office are working the case.
Engine 19, Engine 24, Tender 1, Tender 19, Medic 1, Medic 19, Battalion 1, and Car 12 responded. Battalion Chief Ben Heape served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
Four people died in a two-vehicle, high speed collision on Interstate 95 near the 44 mile marker southbound, Friday morning 11-November at 03:58. Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue units arrived to find a tractor-trailer off in the woods. A passenger car had been struck in the rear and also pushed into the woods. The larger truck crushed the car and drove on top of the vehicle trapping all four rear passengers and the adult female driver. A male front seat passenger was able to exit the vehicle with assistance and was moved to Medic 13 for treatment of his injuries.
The car suffered massive damage. Firefighter-paramedics used Holmatro rescue tools to gain access to the female driver. She was unconscious and suffered multiple traumatic injuries. Crews used chainsaws to remove several large pine trees that had been knocked down. Multiple hydraulic tools, including spreaders, cutters, and rams were used during the extrication. Once the trees were removed, chains were rigged between hydraulic spreaders to two large pine trees and then to portions of the car to pull the dash forward to free the driver.
Three additional Fire-Rescue ambulances and the LifeNet 4 medical helicopter were assigned to the incident. LifeNet landed at the scene on I-95 just south of the accident. When the driver was freed, she was quickly treated in Medic 26, then flown in critical condition to the trauma center at Trident Medical in Summerville. The male passenger was transported by Fire-Rescue to Colleton Medical Center, but later was transferred to the trauma center at Trident Medical. The truck driver was also transported to Colleton Medical Center for non-life threatening injuries.
The Coroner’s Office and the SC Highway Patrol MAIT Team responded to the scene. Once their investigations were completed, firefighter-paramedics extricated the remaining four victims. Two wreckers pulled the truck off of the car to allow firefighters access to the vehicle. Three children and one adult female in the back seat were deceased. The Coroner’s Office transported the bodies. SC Transport Police and the Sheriff’s Office also assisted. Fire Rescue units were on the scene for five and half hours. Traffic was down to one lane during the incident and backed up for five miles.
Engine 1, Engine 26, Rescue 1, Medic 1, Medic 13, Medic 19, Medic 26, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 105 responded. Deputy Chief David Greene 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
A Walterboro (SC) family lost their home to an early morning fire Monday, 17-Oct. The fire was reported to 9-1-1 at 02:38 when the family went to a neighbor’s home to ask for help. Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue units arrived 8 minutes later to find the single-story dwelling fully involved. All occupants had safely exited the structure.
The home was located well off the roadway and Engine 19 backed down the long driveway. A supply line was stretched to the road so tenders could supply the engine. Firefighter-Paramedics deployed multiple handlines to combat the fire. A blitzfire device was set up in the back of the residence. A second alarm was issued shortly after arrival for additional tenders and personnel.
Crews had the bulk of the fire knocked down within 30 minutes, but were on the scene five hours. The rear of the building was destroyed, with much of the interior being gutted. Most personal items were lost. The home was originally a singlewide mobile home that had been doubled in size and had a roof installed over the original building. This hampered extinguishment due to the multiple walls, ceilings, and double roof. The fire appears to have started in the area of the kitchen in the original structure, which spread to the attic space and into the newer addition. Water supply was handled with a tender shuttle from a pressurized hydrant four blocks from the scene. The Red Cross is assisting the family. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Engine 1, Engine 19, Tender 1, Tender 9, Tender 19, Tender 26, Medic 1, Medic 9, Medic 19, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Scott O’Quinn served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A Spartanburg (SC) truck driver was killed after his tractor trailer over-turned on I-95 near the 65 mile marker northbound Thursday evening 22-September at 19:06. Witnesses stated the truck swerved to avoid a car who entered his lane, causing the truck to strike a guard rail. The truck received heavy damage, trapping the unrestrained driver inside.
Colleton County (SC) firefighter-paramedics arrived minutes later to find the northbound lanes blocked. The trailer, that was hauling watermelons, was in the median, while the cab was partially in the median and partially in the roadway. The truck driver suffered multiple traumatic injuries and had no signs of life.
The Coroner’s Office was notified and responded to the scene. Once the Coroner completed his investigation, crews were cleared to begin the extrication at 20:30. Holmatro rescue tools, reciprocating saws, and chains rigged to the spreaders were used to complete the extrication, which took a little over an hour.
The Coroner’s Office transported the patient. Traffic in the northbound lanes was blocked for nearly an hour and down to one lane for four hours. It was blocked again when the towing company arrived to remove the truck. The trailer was left in the median until Friday, so it could be unloaded and righted during day light hours. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
Engine 24, Engine 26, Tender 27, Rescue 1, Medic 26, Battalion 1, Car 12, Car 107, Car 110 and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Scott Feather 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
Two Colleton County (SC) residents died following a head-on collision in the 1700 block of Jefferies Highway (US Hwy 15) just north of Wintergreen Road early Sunday morning 11-September at 02:07. A Jeep Grand Cherokee and a Geo Metro struck head-on at a high rate of speed on a straight portion of roadway causing extensive damage to both vehicles and trapping all three occupants.
Fire-Rescue Medic 19 arrived to find Jefferies Highway blocked by the wreckage. The unrestrained occupants of the Geo were heavily entrapped and had no signs of life. The unrestrained driver of the Jeep suffered multiple traumatic injuries. Colleton County Firefighter-Paramedics used Holmatro rescue tools to remove the driver’s side door on the Jeep to gain access to the driver. He was treated during the extrication, then transported by Medic 19 to the trauma center at Trident Medical in Summerville.
After the Coroner’s Office conducted their investigation, firefighter-paramedics used Holmatro rescue tools to remove the roof and doors on the Geo to access the patients. A hydraulic ram was used to displace the dash off of one victim to allow for the person to be extricated from the car. The Coroner’s Office transported both victims to Colleton Medical Center. Traffic in the area of the accident was detoured for five hours until the SC Highway Patrol completed their investigation.
Engine 19, Engine 26, Medic 19, Medic 26, Rescue 1, Battalion 1 and Car 12 responded. Captain Justin Warko served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
