27/May/2015 – Structure Fire with injuries – “B” Shift

Incident # 15-02855 – A 43 year old man was severely injured in a structure fire at 71 Overlook Lane west of Walterboro Wednesday morning 27-May. At 02:27, Fire-Rescue was notified of the incident with the caller reporting flames were already burning through the roof. Deputy Chief Greene arrived two minutes later to find a well involved single story brick veneer structure approximately 45% involved. He began treating the injured man who received second and third degree burns to his hands and burns to his face. Engine 1 arrived minutes later and deployed a deck gun on the structure, as well as one 2-1/2 inch handline and two 1-3/4 handlines. Engine 26 set up a water shuttle operation from the road and supplied Engine 1 who was parked down a small driveway. While firefighters worked to extinguish the fire, Firefighter-Paramedics rapidly transported the man to Colleton Medical Center to be stabilized. Due to poor weather conditions near the Georgia border, no medical helicopters could fly to the Burn Center. Fire-Rescue Medic 1 transferred the man emergent from CMC to the Still Burn Center at Doctor’s Hospital in Augusta Georgia 1-1/2 hours away.  

The fire had already destroyed most of the eastern side of the residence and burned into the attic on the western side. Crews worked for 25 minutes to bring the fire under control. Most of the roof was burned off of the building, but the living area on the western side of the building was saved. The area suffered drop down and water damage, but many personal items were salvageable. The fire appears to have started in the kitchen near the stove. The man was awakened by smoke alarms in the home. He ran to a neighbor’s house to summons help.  

Engine 1, Engine 26, Tender 1, Tender 4, Tender 15, Tender 18, Tender 26, Tender 27, Ladder 19, Medic 1, Medic 18, Medic 26, Battalion 1, Car 12, Car 105 and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Brent Dalton served as Incident Commander.