Fire leaves family homeless

By Tess Malijenovsky
Last week a mobile home went up in flames when a Pop-Tart started shooting flames from a toaster. The wife was just returning from the hospital for the holidays, said Fire Fighter Dan Byrne.
The Burton firefighters arrived in minutes to the scene on Winsor road in the Shell Point area, but were forced to exit the burning house as the roof weakened and the fire grew beyond their hose line.
In the middle of the operation, a home oxygen tank inside exploded with enough force to result in several 911 calls from the surrounding area and sent firefighters scattering; however, no one was injured. Firefighters from Port Royal and Parris Island were called to the scene for assistance, along with Beaufort County EMS.
The Beaufort County Fire Scene Investigation Team is conducting an investigation and while the investigation is still ongoing, Burton Fire Chief Harry Rountree states they have no reason or evidence to think there is another cause at this time.
Burton fire officials encourage citizens to research the dangers of pop tarts and toasters, and stress the importance of having home fire extinguishers that are readily available and all household members are knowledgeable in its use.
According to Byrne, the family has no homeowner’s insurance. The home was a total loss. A fund has been set up at the Wells Fargo bank on Lady’s Island. To help this family, make a donation to the fund in the name of Gwen Price.