05/February/2013 – Structure Fire – “A” Shift

Incident # 13-00666 – Firefighters responded to a structure fire at 210 Academy Road, the Colleton Courtyard, an assisted living facility Tuesday morning 05-February. 9-1-1 Operators received the first report of the incident at 02:40 advising of a fire inside of a clothes dryer. The appliance was located in a utility room near the east side of the facility at the service entrance. The unit was a small household type dryer. The staff swiftly located the problem and began to evacuate residents to the front parking lot. Engine 19 arrived within minutes, deployed one 1-3/4 hand line but did not have to use it. Crewmembers quickly removed the dryer from the building. It was located by the side service door, in a delivery area which facilitated easy removal. The dryer was placed into the parking area outside of the building which immediately removed any danger of fire spread. Firefighters removed the burned articles from the dryer and extinguished then with a hose line in the side parking lot. There was light smoke inside the east wing of the building and no extension of the fire outside of the dryer.

The rest of the residents from the east wing were moved to the west wing which is isolated by a fire wall. The evacuated residents were also moved there shortly after it was deemed safe to do so. With temperatures in the mid 30s, this was the safest method, allowing them to shelter in place since there was no fire extension and no smoke in the west wing. 

Firefighters used one Positive Pressure Fan to force the light smoke out of the east wing. Firefighters and the facility staff returned all residents to their rooms within an hour. Some were in wheel chairs, but most ambulated without assistance. One woman was transported by Medic 19 to Colleton Medical Center for evaluation of abdominal pain. It did not appear to be related to the incident. Firefighter-Paramedics treated her at the scene and then transported her to the hospital. She was not experiencing any major difficulty, but requested to be evaluated at the hospital. Fire units were on the scene for a little over an hour. 

Engine 1, Engine 19, Engine 24, Engine 26, Ladder 19, Medic 19, Medic 26, Battalion 1, Car 12 and Car 105 responded. Deputy Chief David Greene served as Incident Commander.