Dec. 08 -- QUINBY, S.C. -- Florence County Sheriff's Office investigators and State Law Enforcement Divison agents are investigating a Quinby house fire in which two people died and a third was burned Saturday night.
Firefighters from Howe Springs, Florence and Windy Hill fire departments responded to the 9:30 p.m. fire at 207 Creek Drive and arrived to find the home 60 percent involved and a car in the car port adjacent to the home burning as well, Howe Spring Fire Chief William Dillon said.
Howe Springs and Florence firefighters were standing by at Windy Hill's Station No. 1 to cover the department's Christmas party.
Dillon said initial responders went immediately into rescue mode since the person who reported the fire indicated there was entrapment in the home.
Firefighters located the first fire victim about 30 seconds into the operation, the second victim was found about two hours into the fire, he said.
Firefighters were on scene about six hours as they assisted sheriff's deputies, the Florence County Coroner's Office and SLED agents with their investigation as part of the overhaul and cleanup process after they extinguished the blaze, the chief said.
Florence County Coroner Keith von Lutcken identified the victims as Jerold Robbin Aiken, 55, of Quinby and Lindsey W. Franken, 59, of Florence.
The coroner said the bodies of the victims would be sent to the Medical University of South Carolina for an autopsy.
Capt. Mike Nunn, Florence County Sheriff's Office public information officer, said "the investigation will likely take some time to complete."
Florence sent two engine companies, Windy Hill and Howe Springs one each and they were assisted at the scene by Florence County EMS medics, the Florence County Sheriff's Office and SLED.
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