From staff reports
The Burton Fire District responded to its fourth fire in six days on Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 15 on Broad River Drive.
Just past 4 p.m. today, the Burton Fire District, along with the Parris Island Fire & Emergency Service and Beaufort County EMS, responded to a reported house fire on Broad River Blvd. when residents called 911 after seeing smoke coming out of their chimney though no fire was burning in the fire place.
Emergency crews arrived on scene and discovered a fire in the walls around the chimney. Firefighters were able to confine the fire to the chimney and surrounding walls; however, the interior of the home sustained minor damages. The residents were temporarily relocated for the evening.
No injuries were reported. The fire is believed to be unintentional but still under investigation. The is the fourth fire for the Burton Fire District in six days.
The first fire occurred on January 8 on Tarra Court after an unattended outdoor burn pile in a backyard spread and ignited a shed, damaged the home, and spread to three other properties. One person sustained minor injuries in the fire.
The second fire occurred on January 9 on Capehart Drive after a smoldering fire in a burn barrel spread, damaging a shed and spread to another property. No injuries were reported.
The third fire occurred in the early morning hours of January 12 on Alexander Loop. Two adults and a child escaped through the windows of a single wide mobile home after discovering a fire inside the home. The home did not have working smoke alarms. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is believed to be electrical.
Burton Fire Officials state that December and January are dangerous months in South Carolina for fires and fire related deaths and encourage residents to ensure they burn outdoors safely and have working smoke alarms, less than 10 years old, placed properly in their homes.
