March 28--Area firefighters were busy overnight responding to two house fires in Horry and Georgetown counties, but there were no injuries even when a floor collapsed, according to authorities.
Horry County firefighters were first called about 2:30 a.m. Friday to a home on S.C. 905 at Secondary Highway 66 and Shell Road, said Justin Gibbins, an assistant chief with Horry County Fire Rescue. When crews arrived at the blaze they found flames coming from the home.
S.C. 905 was reduce to one lane between S.C. 66 and Shell Road while crews worked to extinguish the blaze. The cause remains under investigation.
In Litchfield Beach, Midway Fire Rescue crews responded to 184 Norris Drive after receiving a call at 4:07 a.m. from a neighbor reporting smoke inside their home and heavy smoke outside, said Chief Doug Eggiman.
Firefighters found the unoccupied beach home on fire with heavy smoke coming from all four sides, Eggiman said. He said they made entry on the second floor -- which was the main floor of the beach house -- but made it about 10 feet inside when the floor collapsed.
"We were very fortunate the person on the nozzle fell into the collapsed hole, but was caught by the firefighters behind him," Eggiman said.
After pulling the firefighter out of the hole, crews backed out of the home and focused efforts on the outside of the structure, he said. Within 45 minutes, Eggiman said the blaze was under control, but firefighters remained on scene overhauling the structure and extinguishing hotspots.
Horry County, Surfside Beach, Murrells Inlet-Garden City, Georgetown County and Georgetown firefighters provided mutual aid.
Eggiman said the fire was deemed accidental and electrical in nature.
Contact TONYA ROOTat 444-1723 or follow her at Twitter.com/tonyaroot.
Copyright 2014 - The Sun News (Myrtle Beach, S.C.)
