Oxygen Tanks Explode During Fatal South Carolina Fire

Feb. 27, 2008
Neighbors said they head a loud explosion, and the home went up in flames.

GREENVILLE, S.C. --

An 87-year-old Berea man died after his mobile home caught fire early Wednesday morning.

Neighbors said they head a loud explosion, and the home went up in flames.

There were other explosions as the fire destroyed Charles Poore's home, because he had oxygen tanks inside that he needed for health reasons.

Poores home was in the King's Estate Mobile Home Park in Greenville County off Hunts Bridge Road. Firefighters said that by the time they got there, the entire home was in flames.

Ray Moody is married to Poore's daughter.

Moody said, "She's pretty well tore up. She's in shock right now, I think."

No firefighters or neighbors were hurt in the fire, which is still under investigation.

"When it's cold like this, these fires aren't suspicious at first, until they get in there and start checking everything out," Greenville County Sheriff's Lt. Tim Ridgeway told WYFF News 4.

The heat of the fire did cause some damage to nearby mobile homes, firefighters said.

Neighbor Anita Gregory said she heard the explosion of the oxygen tanks.

"It scared me. I thought, 'What in the world are they doing out there?'" Gregory said, adding that her son then noticed the fire. (He) looked out the front door and said, Mama, the trailer's on fire, so I grabbed the phone and called 911."

Neighbor Denny Cole said, "It's terrible, it's terrible. There's no words for it. It's just sad."

Copyright 2008 by WYFF4.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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