CLOVER, S.C. -- The York County Sheriff's Office is investigating a double fatal house fire off S.C. 55 near Clover.
Sam Price, 78, and his wife Joanne Price, 67, died in the blaze at the double-wide mobile home at 13087 Hwy. 55 West, said York County Coroner Sabrina Gast.
Firefighters were called to the scene at 1:39 a.m. after a driver passing the home noticed it burning and went to a neighbor's house, where he asked them to call for help, said Trent Faris, sheriff's office spokesman.
Bethany Santiago, Clover and Smyrna fire departments responded. When firefighters arrived on scene, the home was already fully-engulfed. The house is a total loss, Faris said.
A third person -- a woman -- was in the house and managed to escape. She was taken to Piedmont Medical Center.
SLED is on the scene assisting the sheriff's office to determine the cause of the fire. York County officials asked for SLED's help to have a set of "extra eyes" on the scene, Faris said.
Mary Teague, who lives across the street, said she was asleep on her couch when she saw an orange glow coming through her window. She looked out to see smoke and fire crews across the street. She watched paramedics assist the woman who survived the fire.
"I am so glad she escaped," Teague said.
Teague said the man who died was an older man who was "always out fiddling" in his yard. He loved spending time with his family and kept horses behind his home.
"He was just a kind, old man," Teague said. "He would do anything for you."
Just the other day, they had a family reunion. Teague recalls sitting on her front porch and watching the man play with his grandchildren in his front yard.
"He loved his grandkids unconditionally," Teague said. "I'm going to miss seeing him come out and feeding his animals."
Family members declined to comment.
Copyright 2012 - The Herald, Rock Hill, S.C.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
