Tragedy struck early Monday morning in Colleton County, S.C., when a house fire on Mazio Circle claimed the life of a child and left two elderly individuals with critical burns, according to a spokesperson from Colleton County Fire-Rescue.
Emergency responders from Colleton County Fire-Rescue were dispatched promptly at 6:13 a.m., reaching the scene in less than nine minutes. The single-story, wood-frame home they encountered was found to lack smoke detectors, which could have potentially altered the outcome.
Due to heavy fog blanketing the area, air medical transport was deemed unsafe, and the severely burned elderly victims were transported by ground to a burn center for treatment.
Firefighters worked diligently, managing to control and extinguish the flames within approximately 35 minutes. A coordinated effort saw more than 30 firefighters responding to this emergency.
The critical response team extended beyond the fire department, with the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office, the Colleton County Coroner’s Office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the South Carolina State Fire Marshal’s team all present to assist in the operation.
“Citizens without working smoke alarms can call Fire-Rescue Headquarters at 843-539-1960 to make an appointment to have your free smoke alarms installed inside your home,” the spokesperson said. “Early detection of fires can save lives.”