03/25/2012 – Structure Fire – “B” Shift

Incident # 12-01625 – An alert Sheriff’s Deputy discovered smoke coming from a residence Sunday morning 25-March. At 02:28, Deputy Koger was patrolling the Green Park Subdivision when he saw smoke in the area of Gadsden Loop and June Street. Heavy thunderstorms with lightning had just passed through Colleton County. Koger searched the area and found smoke coming from the roof of the home at 205 Gadsden Loop. Firefighters were immediately notified, arriving six minutes later. Car 118 found heavy smoke visible from the single story brick veneer structure. On arrival of Engine 1, two 1-3/4 handlines were deployed through the front door. Firefighters forced entry into the building, encountering high heat conditions inside the structure. A search of the residence found no one to be in the building. Interior crews determined most of the fire to be in the attic. The ceiling was pulled down in the living room and hall to reach the fire in the attic just as the fire burned through the roof in the center of the building. Crews had the fire under control within ten minutes. 

The kitchen and hall suffered heavy fire damage, however the remainder of the home suffered relatively light heat and smoke damage. It appeared a tree located approximately fifteen feet from the rear of the home was struck by lightning which apparently traveled to the house. Multiple breakers in the electrical box were tripped. The fire appears to have originated in the kitchen; spread into a cupboard, then into the attic. Firefighters were on the scene for three hours. No injuries were reported.

Engine 1, Engine 24, Tender 1, Tender 19, Tender 26, Tender 27, Medic 1, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 118 responded. Captain Scott Feather served as Incident Commander.