A 33-year-old male was critically injured in a two-car MVC in the 1700 block of Sidneys Road near Sunshine Lane Wednesday afternoon 31-August at 12:38. The accident occurred about three miles north of Walterboro (SC). Apparently a Cadillac turned into the path of a small SUV causing a “T” impact into the driver’s side. There was over two feet of intrusion, heavily entrapping the driver.
The man received critical multiple traumatic injuries. Colleton County (SC) Firefighter-Paramedics began treatment while he was still trapped in the car. Crews used the winch from Battalion 1 to move the SUV from the side of the Cadillac, then used Holmatro rescue tools to remove the driver’s door and displace the dash in order to free the driver. His condition rapidly deteriorated and he stopped breathing shortly after the extrication was complete.
Due to his unstable condition, he was rapidly transported in Fire-Rescue Medic 1 to Colleton Medical Center (CMC) with two additional firefighter-paramedics assisting with his care. The driver of the SUV was also treated at the scene and transported with non-life threatening injuries to CMC in Medic 19. Sidneys Road in the area of the accident was blocked for over an hour. The SC Hwy Patrol is investigating the crash.
Engine 19, Medic 1, Medic 19, Rescue 1, Battalion 1, Car 105, Car 107, Car 117 and Car 119 responded. Battalion Chief Ben Heape served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief , Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A 21-year-old male received multiple traumatic injuries in a single-car crash in the 5400 block of Sidneys Road north of Walterboro (SC) Thursday evening 25-August at 22:55. The northbound Chevrolet Trailblazer left the roadway in a curve at a high rate of speed. The vehicle crossed into the southbound lane, struck the ditch and overturned, striking several trees. A large tree impacted at the driver’s side “A” post, crushing the dash onto the patient’s legs, trapping him upside down in the car.
Colleton County Firefighter-Paramedics found the male conscious, but with multiple complaints. Crews began treating him inside the vehicle, while other firefighters began the process of extricating him from the wreckage. The vehicle was stabilized, prior to firefighters using Holmatro Rescue Tools to remove the driver’s door. Crews worked for another 30 minutes to displace the dash and free the patient’s legs. He was extricated with full spinal precautions, then transported emergent in Fire-Rescue Medic 19 to the trauma center at Trident Medical in Summerville. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
Engine 19, Medic 19, Rescue 1, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Ben Heape served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A Smoak Rd family lost their home in an afternoon fire Sunday 07-August. At 14:52, Colleton County (SC) 9-1-1 operators began receiving reports of explosions and smoke coming from a wooded area in the 1500 block of Smoak Road east of Walterboro. Several callers noted there was a home located down a long dirt driveway. Responding units could see a thick column of black smoke three miles from the scene.
Colleton County Fire-Rescue Medic 1 arrived in the area and had some difficulty locating the residence. The narrow driveway was almost completely obscured by trees and brush. Once on scene, they found a doublewide mobile home fully-involved at 1492 Smoak Road. The roof had already collapsed. Engine 19 initially used a deck gun to knock down most of the fire and deployed two 1-3/4 handlines to extinguish the remaining flames. Firefighters had the fire under control in about 20 minutes, but were on the scene for two hours performing overhaul.
No one was home when the fire occurred, but crews were able to make contact with the homeowner. She advised earlier in the day, the power in the home had been flickering. She left approximately an hour prior to the fire being reported. Water supply was conducted with tenders.
Engine 19, Engine 27, Tender 1, Tender 9, Tender 19, Tender 26, Tender 27, Medic 1, Medic 26, Battalion 1 and Car 12 responded. Firefighter-Paramedic Zack Huber served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
Two adults were severely injured and three children were transported following a single-vehicle, high speed MVC in the 400 block of Bent Gate Lane Friday evening 15-July. At approximately 19:00, an eastbound car lost control on the rural dirt road, crossed a ditch and began to flip over. The car struck a large pine tree roof first, causing extensive damage to the Ford Escape. The roof over the front seats was pushed almost to the floor trapping both front seat occupants. Three children in the back seat were able to crawl out of the damaged car.
Barry W. McRoy photo
Colleton County (SC) Firefighter-Paramedics arrived to find the three children ambulatory at the scene. The two adults were heavily entrapped in the wreckage. Their legs were pinned under the dash, while their upper bodies had been pushed in the back seats after breaking the backs of the front seats. It was miraculous that they survived the collision.
Crews stabilized the vehicle and began treating both patients inside the damaged car. IVs and pain management were administered. Due to an extended extrication, two medical helicopters were requested and landed in a field off of the 6800 block of Sunrise Road near Fire Station 17, approximately one mile from the scene. Engine 7 coordinated the landing zone. Crews treated the three children for non-life threatening traumatic injuries. Holmatro Rescue tools were utilized to remove the roof, however saws and a mini cutter had to be used near the patients on the passenger side due to the crushed vehicle collapsing in on the patients.
Barry W. McRoy photo
Cribbing was inserted between the roof, “A” & “B” posts and doors to prevent the metal from pressing in on the patients. The first patient was extricated after 38 minutes. Firefighters had to displace the dash to free the second patient’s legs. The second patient was extricated in 63 minutes. Both were transported by Fire-Rescue ambulance to the landing zone, then flown by LifeNet 3 and LifeNet 4 to the trauma center at MUSC in Charleston. The children were transported by Fire-Rescue Medic 18 to Colleton Medical Center in Walterboro and released later in the evening. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
Barry W. McRoy photo
Barry W. McRoy photo
Engine 7, Engine 17. Engine 26, Rescue 1, Medic 18, 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
A large portion of a building was destroyed in a mid-morning fire at a closed lumber mill east of Cottageville, SC Saturday morning 09-July. A caller to 9-1-1 reported the building was heavily involved and involved stacks of lumber. Colleton County Fire-Rescue (SC) Engine 9 arrived to find the structure well involved and a portion of the roof had already collapsed.
Firefighters deployed multiple 2-1/2 and 1-3/4 handlines to combat the blaze. A second alarm was requested for additional tenders and personnel. Mutual aid was also requested from Dorchester County Fire-Rescue, who responded with personnel from the Sandhill Station.
The building contained several conveyor systems used to process lumber. When the plant closed over five years ago, the processes were ongoing. Conveyors still contained raw timber (uncut trees), several lines of raw and finished lumber, and approximately a dozen carts for finished lumber stacked five feet in height with wood products. The rear portion of the building was a total loss, including most of the machinery, however firefighters were able to stop the advance of the fire to the front portion of the building, saving half of the structure.
Firefighters endured 104 degree temperatures and were on the scene for 4-1/2 hours. Water supply was conducted with a water shuttle using a dry hydrant located 2 miles from the scene. There was no power to the building and it is believed the fire started from a lighting strike during a severe thunder storm earlier in the morning.
Engine 9, Engine 902, Engine 19, Tender 2, Tender 9, Tender 19, Tender 27, Tender 32, Medic 1, Medic 9, Medic 19, Battalion 1, Car 107 and two Dorchester County units responded.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
An adult male was injured and his home was destroyed in a late night fire the occurred Saturday 09-July at 22:38. Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue was alerted to the incident at 2064 Peirce Road north of Cottageville advising a generator was on fire on the back porch of the residence. Engine 9 arrived five minutes later to find the entire one-story block structure fully-involved. The roof collapsed shortly after arrival.
Firefighters deployed multiple handlines to combat the fire. The homeowner advised he was filling a generator on the back porch with fuel, when the gasoline exploded. He attempted to extinguish the fire himself and was able to safely evacuate the other three family members from the residence. He received severe burns to both legs during the incident. The man was treated at the scene by Firefighter-Paramedics, then transported emergent by Fire-Rescue Medic 9 to Colleton Medical Center. He was later transferred to the burn center in Augusta Ga. by private ambulance.
Firefighters were on the scene for four hours. It appears the fire quickly spread to several appliances on the covered rear porch, then entered the attic space. Water supply was conducted with a water shuttle. Engine 27 set up at a dry hydrant one mile south of the scene. The family lost most of their belongings. The Red Cross is assisting them.
Engine 9, Engine 902, Engine 27, Tender 2, Tender 9, Tender 19, Tender 27, Tender 32, Medic 9, Medic 19, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 107 responded. Battalion Chief Scott O’Quinn served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A single car MVC in the 7900 block of Ritter Road south of Walterboro SC, sent a 55 year old Green Pond woman to the trauma center. At 19:37 on Thursday afternoon 26-May, a caller reported the accident advising a car left the roadway and overturned. The caller advised he could not locate the patient and thought they might have been ejected. A Colleton Sheriff’s Deputy arrived moments later and advised the driver was trapped inside the car.
Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue Medic 6 went on-scene a few minutes later, noting the vehicle had heavy damage and was over-turned in the ditch. Apparently the westbound car left the roadway and struck a driveway culvert on the eastbound side of the road. The driveway caused the car to become airborne. It then struck an oak tree approximately six feet off the ground before flipping over in the ditch. The female driver was heavily entrapped inside. She was in critical condition, suffering from multiple traumatic injuries.
Firefighter-Paramedics forced entry into the vehicle and began administering care. Other crewmembers stabilized the car and used Holmatro Rescue tools to remove the driver’s side doors, “B” post, steering wheel, and front seat. The patient was immobilized and extricated with spinal precautions. The extrication took approximately 20 minutes. She was transported directly to the trauma center at the Medical University in Charleston by Fire-Rescue Medic 6 with additional firefighter-paramedics assisting with her care. Traffic in the area of the accident was blocked for an hour. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
Engine 2, Medic 6, Rescue 1, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 107 responded. Battalion Chief Brent Dalton served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
