Incident # 26-04239 - One adult perished and another adult was critically burned in a structure fire in the 100 block of Fire Hill Road Wednesday morning 20-May at 04:24. Four dogs and seven snakes also died in the fire. The adults were awaken to the fire in the living room in the center of the double wide mobile home. Both adults were able to get the three children out of the burning home unharmed. At some point one adult reentered the home in an attempt to save the animals and became trapped. The other adult, allegedly, reentered the home in an effort to rescue the missing adult, sustaining significant burns. A Sheriff's Deputy arrived within minutes and was able to narrow down the location of the victim inside the building. Firefighter-Paramedics entered the burning building and searched the area the Deputy indicated. The victim was located the in the back of the home. Firefighters brought the victim out of the home and moved to a waiting ambulance. Tragically, the resident did not survive. A second Fire-Rescue ambulance transported the burned adult emergent to the Burn Center at MUSC in Charleston. One child was also transported to be evaluated, but was in stable condition. Due to heavy fog CARE Flight was unable to fly. The ambulance picked up the Flight Crew on the way to MUSC to assist with care during the one hour transport. Family members arrived and took custody of the other two children who were not injured. Firefighters deployed multiple handlines to the building to extinguish the fire. Water supply was conducted using Tenders. The mobile home suffered extensive damage and a vehicle was also destroyed. Due to the fatality, SLED and the State Fire Marshall's Office responded to the scene which is standard procedure. Units were on the scene most of the morning. The fire appears to have started due to an electrical malfunction.
Engine 1, Engine 13, Tender 1, Tender 4, Tender 8, Tender 13, Tender 18, Tender 27, Medic 1, Medic 13, Medic 18, Medic 26, Battalion 1, Car 105 and Car 115 responded. Battalion Chief Matthew Smart served as Incident Commander.
