June 20--A vacant home in The Point caught fire late Wednesday night and flames ripped through the roof, destroying much of the upper portion of the building.
Neighbors said the home's new owners, who live in New York, had just closed on the home last week.
The fire at 505 Prince St. was called in by neighbors shortly after 11 p.m., said Beaufort/Port Royal deputy fire chief Clay Scoggins. When the first firetruck arrived a few minutes later, flames were already shooting out of the roof, he said.
Neighbors said the home was vacant, so firefighters chose to start fighting the flames from outside instead of rushing in, Scoggins said.
"We didn't feel comfortable sending guys inside because of the extent of the fire," he said.
They attacked the flames from the front and side, using a neighbor's rear porch to gain closer access to the burning building. A large tree in the front yard made it difficult to use a ladder truck.
Firefighters took hoses through the front door to shoot up into the attic, and climbed a ladder in the front of the home to shoot water down as well.
"It was a little hairy for a bit because a roof is designed to keep water out so it wasn't going where we needed it to go," Scoggins said.
The fire was knocked down by about 11:45 p.m., but firefighters remained on scene until after 3:30 a.m. guarding against flare ups and conducting a preliminary investigation.
Flames were mainly concentrated in the attic, Scoggins said. Capt. John Robinson said several layers of insulation, flooring and attic materials created additional fire hazards after the flames were extinguished. Sections of the roof were at risk of falling in, making it difficult for firefighters to access all areas of the house.
The cause of the fire was not immediately clear early Thursday morning, but Scoggins saw no signs indicating it was suspicious.
The same rain storm that dampened low-hanging branches and Spanish moss that could have spread the fire to nearby homes may also have been the culprit of the fire.
There were up to 70 lightning strikes Wednesday in the city area, according to weather mapping data, fire Chief Sammy Negron said. One of those struck at 505 Prince St. The data is accurate up to 5 meters, he said.
The cause remained undetermined Thursday morning, and the investigation will continue Thursday.
Negron said the fire did not appear to be complicated, and he did not feel it would be necessary to call in the Beaufort County Fire Scene Investigation Team.
Assisting on scene were Burton Fire District, Beaufort County EMS and city of Beaufort Police Department.
Follow reporter Erin Moody at twitter.com/IPBG_Erin.
Copyright 2013 - The Island Packet (Hilton Head Island, S.C.)
