An Estates Drive home, north of Walterboro, was heavily damaged in an early morning fire, Tuesday 21-February. At 00:46, Colleton 9-1-1 operators received several reports of smoke and flames coming from a residence located at 468 Estates Drive. An off-duty firefighter who lives one block away arrived a minute later and reported flames through the roof with approximately 50% of the home involved.
Colleton County (SC) Engine 19 arrived minutes later and used the deck gun to knock down a large portion of the flames. Firefighter-Paramedics deployed three 1-3/4 handlines to combat the fire, which appears to have started in a bedroom on the southside of the structure before spreading to the attic. The homeowner was in the building and noticed smoke in the hallway and he was able to safely exit the residence. Firefighters gained control of the fire within 10 minutes stopping the advance of the flames, but approximately ¾ of the roof was burned away. The bedroom where the fire originated was also heavily damaged, but many items were salvageable in the remainder of the home. Fire crews were on the scene for two hours. The cause of the fire is suspected to be a space heater, but an investigation is ongoing.
Engine 19, Engine 27, Tender 1, Tender 19, Tender 26, Tender 27, Medic 19, Medic 26, Battalion 1, Car 109 and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Brent Dalton served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
Newport Township FPD firefighters were called to the scene of a house fire Wednesday morning on N. Mill Creek Road in Wadsworth, IL. The house was located at the end of a long driveway and was not visible from the wooded street.
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Arriving units were unable to see the fire in the rear of the structure until they got all the way to the house. Since the area is without hydrants, the alarm was upgraded immediately to a Box Alarm, then to a 2nd Alarm shortly thereafter. One engine and a 75′ quint made it up the driveway and a relay operation was initiated from the street. Three portable tanks were used on the road as two engines supplied 5″ lines to the quint and the engine in the driveway.
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
As the fire overhead grew, companies had to pull out and resort to a defensive operation. Several hand lines and an aerial pipe were put into operation. Due to the water needs and the route tenders had to take to refill and return, the alarm was upgraded to a 4th Alarm for additional tenders.
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Seventeen Illinois departments responded to the fire along with eight departments from Wisconsin. There were a total of 16 water tenders, two aerials, two squads, and five engines.
