Arson Suspected in SC Blaze That Injured FFs

Aug. 17, 2018
A fire at a Yemassee Family Dollar store Tuesday night that left five Beaufort County firefighters with injuries is being investigated as arson.

Aug. 15 -- A Yemassee Family Dollar was hit by suspected arson on Tuesday night, leaving five Beaufort County firefighters with minor injuries, according to a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office news release.

The injured firefighters were from the Sheldon and Burton fire districts, the release said. They suffered heat-related injuries, minor burns and one had an ankle injury.

The fire happened around 7:30 p.m. at the store on Dairy Farm Road in the Gardens Corner area, the release said. It was contained and eventually extinguished.

Family Dollar’s website shows the Yemassee location remains open until 9 p.m. daily.

Sheldon Fire District Chief Buddy Jones said his department had a two-minute response to the fire. However, the 14,000 square-foot facility was already heavily involved in fire by their arrival.

“It was quite a big facility without a sprinkler,” Jones said Wednesday. “We stayed there all night.”

About 75 firefighters were on scene to fight the blaze, Jones said.

Daniel Byrne, spokesman for the Burton Fire District, said commercial structure fires can be dangerous for firefighters.

“It was a hot fire,” Byrne said. “It is a department store that has a great deal of items that can burn.”

Byrne said he was a part of a firefighter team that tried to gain entry into the building through the rear.

“We only made it five feet in and had to move back out,” Byrne said.

Because of the extent of the fire, fire agencies from Burton, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, Marine Recruit Depot Parris Island, Jasper County and Hampton County assisted, the release said.

The Sheriff’s Office and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division are investigating the suspected arson, the release said.

Tuesday night’s blaze is at least the seventh suspected arson North of the Broad River in recent months.

Sheriff’s Office Capt. Bob Bromage said the fires don’t appear to be connected.

“There is no information to believe that this fire is connected to any of the previous fires,” Bromage said Wednesday. “There is nothing to indicate there is a serial arsonist.”

No suspects have been identified in Tuesday’s fire.

___ (c)2018 The Island Packet (Hilton Head, S.C.) Visit The Island Packet (Hilton Head, S.C.) at www.islandpacket.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Voice Your Opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Firehouse, create an account today!