ST. GEORGE, S.C. (AP) -- Three businesses were destroyed and two other buildings were damaged in a fire here that required more than 100 firefighters to extinguish.
Two pharmacies and a law office were destroyed in the blaze that started about 1 a.m. Sunday.
It was unclear what started the fire behind Cash Drug. The flames quickly spread to the St. George Pharmacy and the Bell and Witherspoon law offices next door.
Fourteen fire departments from Dorchester, Colleton, Charleston and Orangeburg counties responded.
James Hodges, owner of Cash Drug, watched his family business of 20 years dissolve into smoke and flames.
''Insurance can't replace what we're losing,'' said Hodges. ''That's a lot of our life in there.''
Capt. Curtis Burns of the St. George Fire Department said his department was on the scene within four minutes of the alarm sounding. The department used about 1 million gallons of water fighting the blaze.
Three St. George firefighters suffered minor injuries.
Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives assisted local authorities with sifting through the ashes.
Information from: The Post and Courier
Copyright 2005 Associated Press
