From staff reports
Early Saturday morning, the Burton Fire District, MCAS Fire Department, Beaufort County EMS and Sheriff’s Office, responded to house fire in the Independent Mobile Home Park on Shanklin Rd., which displaced a family of three.
Just after 4 a.m., emergency crews responded to a reported house fire in the Independent Mobile Home Park. The caller stated a bedroom was on fire and everyone had evacuated the home.
Sheriff’s deputies arrived first and advised flames were coming from the home, and that they we evacuating the neighboring residence as well.
Firefighters arrived on scene and found flames coming from a window. Fire crews quickly made entry into the home and extinguished the fire which was located in a bedroom.
The family had closed the bedroom door as they fled the home which helped confine the fire to that room; however, there was smoke damage throughout the rest of the home.
The family had smoke alarms in the home, but they appeared to not have been working.
No injuries were reported. The fire is believed to have been caused by a candle in the bedroom. The Red Cross is assisting the family of three – two adults and a child – that was displaced.
The adult male in the home woke up to the sounds of fire and was able to alert the rest of the family. “Not only do smoke alarms alert you to get out of your home, but they also will give you early notification of the fire which can significantly help limit damages,” Burton Battalion Chief Matt Maichel, who was in charge of the scene, said in a release.
Burton officials advise all citizens to check their smoke alarms, ensure they are less than 10 years old, have a battery, and that they are working and placed properly.
The Burton Fire District provides free smoke alarms to Burton residents upon request, or will come and inspect the ones you have. Residents wishing to get a smoke alarm, or need assistance, can call the Burton Fire District at 843-255-8011 or email safetyed@burtonfd.org.
