Colleton County Fire-Rescue

11/27/2009

Two structures fires occurred within minutes of each other Friday evening 27-November.  The first fire was received at 2055, sending  Stations 1, 12, 19 and 24 to a structure fire at 710 Weslegacy Lane. Engine 1 arrived to find light smoke coming from a doublewide mobile home. Firefighters discovered electrical wires arching under the structure, which had ignited insulation under the floor. A crew was sent under the building with an 1-3/4 handline, while a second crew entered and searched the mobile home. No occupants were found, but heavy smoke conditions existed inside the structure. Fire was found to have entered the utility room from under the structure through the dryer vent pipe and was extending up the utility room wall behind the washer and dryer. A second fire was found in a front bedroom which had burned through the floor creating an approximately 2 foot hole. The fire had also extended into a closet. Additional fire was found between the insulation and the floor under the mobile home and inside the air conditioning duct work located under the mobile home. Interior crews quickly extinguished the fires inside the structure, but two crews of firefighters spent nearly 45 minutes under the structure pulling down insulation and duct work chasing the flames until they had the fires out. Most of the damage was isolated under the structure, in one bedroom, the utility room, electrical wiring and some duct work under the trailer. The remainder of the

structure suffered light smoke damage, but almost all of the belongings and the building were saved. Units were on the scene for 2-1/2 hours.

Engine 1, Engine 24, Tender 1, Tender 12, Tender 19, Medic 27, Battalion 1, Truck 12 and Truck 111 responded. Firefighter-Paramedic (Acting Battalion Chief) Ben Heape served as Incident Commander.

The second fire was received at 2101. Stations 3, 15, 18 and 23 responded. Engine 23 arrived at 3610 Cayce Road to find a single story wood frame structure with smoke coming from the eves on all sides of the building. Upon inspection, it was determined the fire was in the attic around the area of the chimney. Firefighters extended an 1-3/4 handline to the attic and were able to quickly extinguish the fire and contain most damage to the attic. The fire had spread from the chimney to the roof joists around the chimney, but no other extension was noted. Units remained on the scene for approximately 1-1/2 hours.

Engine 3, Engine 15, Engine 23, Tender 15, Tender 18, Tender 23, Squad 23, Medic 18 and Truck 16 responded. Captain Doug Mixson Jr. served as

Incident Commander.