Fire Destroys South Carolina Boarding House

GAFFNEY, S.C. -- A Gaffney boarding house was destroyed by a massive fire early Wednesday morning. Seven fire departments were called about 5:30 a.m. to the Limestone Boarding House on Cherokee Avenue. Dispatchers said Cherokee Avenue from Sixth to Ninth streets was shut down while crews worked to put out the fire. Firefighters said the top floors were destroyed and the bottom floors were intact. They said the fire appears to have started in unit A.

March 10, 2011

2 min read

GAFFNEY, S.C. --

A Gaffney boarding house was destroyed by a massive fire early Wednesday morning.

Seven fire departments were called about 5:30 a.m. to the Limestone Boarding House on Cherokee Avenue.

Dispatchers said Cherokee Avenue from Sixth to Ninth streets was shut down while crews worked to put out the fire.

Firefighters said the top floors were destroyed and the bottom floors were intact. They said the fire appears to have started in unit A.

A witness told FOX Carolina's Jade Hindmon that she heard an explosion and then looked into the hallway and saw the fire.

Flames engulf a boarding house in Gaffney on Wednesday, March 9, 2011. (View More Images)

"I ran to my door and opened up my door and looked out into the hallway," said Sherry Cox, the building manager. "Their door was open and there was flames coming out of it. I hollered and told him to get the baby out of here. I ran upstairs and started hollering, telling them the place on fire and to get out."

Firefighters said everyone was able to escape the blaze unharmed. They said some people were forced to jump from windows to escape the blaze.

The American Red Cross was at the scene to help the nearly 30 people displaced by the fire. A shelter was opened at the Cherokee Avenue Baptist Church.

"We've got our lives, but everybody has lost everything," Cox said.

People at the scene told Hindmon the boarding house was built in the 1800's.