A passing motorist reported a home burning Friday evening 22-May at 3541 Azalea Patch Road. At 22:15, the first caller to Colleton County (SC) 9-1-1 advised the home was well-involved with flames coming through the roof. Firefighters arrived minutes later to find the ranch-style home approximately 80 percent involved and most of the roof had already collapsed. A large workshop behind the home was being threatened.
First arriving units requested a second alarm and directed Engine 4 to set up a water shuttle operation at a dry hydrant located ½ mile north of the incident. Crews used a deck gun, two 2-1/2” handlines and four 1-3/4” handlines to combat the fire, as well as protect the exposure.
Firefighters had the bulk of the fire knocked down within twenty minutes, but remained on the scene performing overhaul for four hours. The unintentional fire appears to have started in an upstairs room and had been burning for some time before the motorist saw the flames. No one was at home when the fire occurred. Four dogs in the back yard were not injured.
Engine 1, Engine 4, Engine 10, Engine 18, Engine 31, Tender 1, Tender 4, Tender 13, Tender 15, Tender 26, Tender 90, Medic 13, Medic 18, Medic 26, Battalion 1 and Car 105 responded. Battalion Chief Dan Barb served as Incident Commander.
One firefighter was injured and a residential dwelling destroyed Sunday morning 15-March. At 01:15, Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue was notified of a reported explosion and house fire at 461 Three Mile Road, north of Walterboro. Engine 19 arrived to the rural dirt road minutes later to find the single-story, wood-frame dwelling fully involved.
It is suspected that the home had been burning for quite some time before anyone discovered the fire, as the entire roof had already burned off of the building. A LP tank was found to be venting behind the structure sending flames 20 feet into the air. It is believed the tank venting was the loud noise which alerted neighbors to the fire.
Photo by Harold Buzzell
The driveway to the home was equipped with a narrow metal gate which prevented fire apparatus from accessing the property. Firefighters deployed two 3-inch lines from Engine 19 through the yard to the building, then gated them down to supply two 1-3/4 handlines each. One crew was dedicated to cool the LP tank, while other firefighters battled the blaze.
One nearby exposure was endangered; a detached apartment, carport and utility room was connected by a covered walkway and located about 30 feet from the burning home. A portion of the covered walkway was badly damaged, however firefighters were able to prevent the flames from reaching the apartment and carport.
Photo by Harold Buzzell
While engaged in extinguishing the fire, a portion of the floor near the front of the building collapsed. One firefighter fell through the floor and was inures landing on the floor joists below. He was transported by ambulance (Medic 26) to Colleton Medical Center, where he received treatment for broken ribs and other non-life threatening injuries before being released from the hospital later in the day.
Firefighters remained on the scene for 5-1/2 hours. The large home had been vacant for over a year, but still had power connected. The origin of the fire appeared to be suspicious in nature. Colleton Fire Investigators notified the Sheriff’s Office and the State Police Arson Unit (SLED). SLED agents and other investigators remained on the scene throughout the morning.
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
Two homes were damaged and one workshop destroyed in an early morning fire that started at 160 Boone Street in the Country Estates Subdivision south of the City of Walterboro (SC) Tuesday morning 26-August. At 01:45, 9-1-1 operators began receiving reports of the fire in a workshop and a home located behind the workshop. Colleton County Fire-Rescue Car 118 arrived to find the 20×40 block work shop fully-involved and a single-story residential dwelling approximately 30% involved.
Engine 1 was directed to a position on Capers Street behind the workshop. Multiple handlines and a deck gun were used in an attempt to extinguish the rapidly spreading fire in the Capers Street home. It appeared the fire originated in the workshop and spread to piles of lumber and wood in the yard. The residence at 189 Capers Street was located approximately 20 feet from the workshop on the lot next door and the fire spread to the attached garage, then extended into the attic. Neighbors had awaken the family at the Capers Street home. An adult male and two teenagers were able to safely exit the house.
A second alarm was requested six minutes after the first fire units arrived, with a third alarm five minutes later. The home on Capers Street had security bars on all of the windows. Firefighters had to remove the bars with a K-12 saw before it was safe to enter the structure. The fire quickly spread through the attic and within seven minutes after arrival was extending from the eaves on all sides of the home. The main house at 160 Boone Street also suffered heat damage to the rear of the house and most items in the back yard were destroyed. A pickup truck parked next to the workshop was also destroyed.
Firefighter-Paramedics worked diligently to contain the Capers Street fire, while other crewmembers protected the exposures on Boone Street and worked to extinguish the workshop fire. A tender shuttle was established for water supply, due to the majority of the subdivision being an unhydranted area.
It took approximately 50 minutes to bring the fires under control. The Capers Street home lost most of the roof and the majority of the fire was contained to the attic, however the remainder of the home suffered heavy damage from drop down fire and water. Many personal items were salvaged. The workshop and pickup truck on Boone Street were completely destroyed, as were several pieces of equipment in the yard. The Boone Street home also suffered heat and fire damage to the back of the house. The fire appeared to have started in or near the electrical panel in the workshop. Fire units were on the scene for over five hours. The Charleston Chapter of the American Red Cross was contacted to assist the family. No injuries were reported.
Engine 1, Engine 4, Engine 5, Engine 17, Engine 19, Engine 24, Engine 26, Tender 1, Tender 6, Tender 9, Tender 13, Tender 19, Tender 26, Tender 27, Medic 1, Medic 6, Medic 9, Medic, Medic 26, Rescue 1, Battalion 1, Car 12, Car 105, Car 107 and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Dan Barb and Captain Gary Nahrstedt operated the Command Post.
A morning fire in a residence caused heavy damage to the structure Sunday morning 29-June at 07:46. Car 118 arrived to find heavy smoke conditions from the singlewide mobile home located at 65 Stormy Lane just off of Bells Hwy. west of Walterboro.
Colleton County (SC) Firefighter-Paramedics deployed one 1-3/4 handline to the front door. They were met with high heat conditions and zero visibility. Neighbors indicated the man who lived in the mobile home was more than likely in the building. Crews made a quick search to the north end of the building and the living room. They were briefly driven out of the building as the fire from the middle bedroom flashed into the living room and vented from a front window.
A quick exterior attack knocked down the flames so firefighters could reenter the building. The small building was ventilated and crews finished extinguishing the flames, so they could search the remainder of the structure. No occupants were found inside the building. The occupant eventually walked back to his house, so he was accounted for and not injured.
The fire appeared to have started from electrical wiring near the heater. It spread to the middle bedroom and then to the hall. Firefighters contained the fire to the center of the mobile home, but the residence suffered extensive interior damage. Family members and the Red Cross are assisting the man.
Engine 1, Engine 26, Tender 1, Tender 18, Tender 26, Tender 27, Medic 18, Medic 26, Battalion 1, Car 12, and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Scott Feather served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
A yard debris fire quickly escalated into a three-alarm response which destroyed three homes, a storage building and damaged a large, abandoned, wooden dwelling. Approximately 10 acres of woods and brush were also burned.
At 13:42 Thursday 27-March, Colleton County 9-1-1 was notified by a caller who stated a yard debris fire had spread to two houses near 47 Harry Lane. The location is a dirt road located in a rural community in southern Colleton County off of Catterton Lane. Engine 13 arrived nine minutes later to find one single-story structure fully involved. The roof had already collapsed. A doublewide mobile home was also fully involved and a second doublewide mobile home was approximately 50% involved.
Harold Buzzell photo
Light winds had driven the fire across a broom straw field and into several wooded areas north and west of the structure fires. The fast moving grass/woods fire was threatening several other homes in the area. Engine 13 and the crew from Medic 13 deployed handlines to protect a mobile home near the third structure and two large LP tanks in the yard. Tender 13 was directed to Rufus Lane to the head of the woods fire to protect homes on Rufus Lane.
Harold Buzzell photo
Harold Buzzell photo
A second alarm and Forestry were requested. Engine 13 set up a ground monitor and directed the stream on the third structure, while crewmembers worked to extinguish the fires. When Battalion 1 arrived, he assumed command of the incident and requested a third alarm along with several brush trucks. Multiple handlines and master stream devices were used to bring the fire under control. The Forestry Commission responded with three tractors and a Ranger. Two homes were completely destroyed by the fire. The third structure, a doublewide mobile home suffered heavy damage, but several rooms were salvaged. A fourth wooden structure, that was vacant received minor damage. Firefighters kept the flames from reaching six other homes near the location. No injuries were reported.
Harold Buzzell photo
Harold Buzzell photo
The fire originated in a yard debris pile behind 47 Harry Lane. The homeowner had been burning debris from the recent ice storm. Light winds spread the fire into a nearby hedgerow, then through the yard to a one-story wooden home. The flames quickly consumed the wooden building. The fire then moved to a nearby doublewide mobile home, then to the third doublewide mobile home. The yard fire rapidly spread into a nearby broom straw field with the winds droving the fire in several directions endangering other buildings in the neighborhood. Firefighters and Forestry personnel were on the scene for over 4-1/2 hours. Water supply was conducted with tenders.
Engine 3, Engine 8, Engine 13, Engine 27, Tender 1, Tender 4, Tender 8, Tender 13, Tender 15, Tender 18, Tender 19, Tender 22, Tender 25, Tender 27, Tender 29, Brush 2, Brush 8, Brush 15, Brush 24, Medic 6, Medic 13, Medic 18, Battalion 1, Car 12, Car 107, Car 111, Car 118, three Forestry tractors and a Ranger responded. Battalion Chief Ben Heape, Battalion Chief Scott Feather and Sd. Lt. Janet Laney operated the Command Post. Photos by Harold Buzzell.
A yard debris fire spread to a home at 510 Bee Street west of Walterboro (SC) Thursday afternoon, 27-February. At 15:54, Colleton County (SC) Fire-Rescue was notified that the fire had burned under the residence and the home was full of smoke. Engine 24 arrived six minutes later to find heavy smoke coming from the singlewide mobile home and flames under the full length of the building extending up the walls in several places.
Barry McRoy photo
Barry McRoy photo
Firefighters deployed two 1-3/4 handlines with one crew working the front of the home and the other extinguishing flames at the rear. After five minutes, most of the exterior flames were extinguished, but the fire had burned into the walls along the back of the mobile home and in several places along the front. Firefighters removed the exterior metal siding and pulled up the floor in multiple rooms to reach the remaining flames.
Barry McRoy photo
Barry McRoy photo
A great deal of personal items were salvaged, but the home suffered heavy damage. The fire was caused by a few leaf piles that were burning in the yard. Light winds of 10 mph spread the fire through the yard until it burned underneath the mobile home. The fire then spread to the structure. All occupants safely exited the building. Water supply was conducted with tenders. The Charleston Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the family.
Barry McRoy photo
Engine 19, Engine 24, Engine 27, Tender 1, Tender 19, Tender 27, Medic 19, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Scott Feather served as Incident Commander.
Barry W. McRoy, Fire Chief, Colleton County Fire-Rescue
