Saturday blaze occupies firefighters for 14 hours
By Mike McCombs
The Island News
A 59-year-old man and a dog lost their lives in a fire Saturday morning, Aug. 16, on Fripp Island that completely destroyed three homes and severely damaged two others.
Around 10:15 a.m., the Fripp Island Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire at 718 Bonito Road. Firefighters arrived on scene within minutes to find one home fully engulfed in flames and two adjacent residences in danger.
It was immediately evident, given the intensity of the fire and the summer heat, that fire crews had their work cut out for them. Fripp Island promptly asked for additional manpower and resources and received help.
The Lady’s Island/St. Helena Fire District, City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department and the Burton Fire District all assisted with manpower and resources.
Unfortunately, given the proximity of the homes to one another, three houses were totally destroyed and two others sustained significant exterior damage before the fire could be extinguished.
According to the Fripp Island Fire Department, fire crews remained on the scene for more than 14 hours to ensure full containment and safety.
others and left a 59-year-old man dead. Photo courtesy of Chris Davenport
One individual was unaccounted for during the response to the fires. Ultimately, the man, as well as a dog, was found inside one of the destroyed structures.
“The Fripp Island Fire Department extends its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased during this difficult time,” the department said in a news release.
The Beaufort County Coroner’s Office will release the man’s identity and official cause of death following notification of next of kin. However, Beaufort County Chief Deputy Coroner Shane Bowers said there may be a delay in public identification.
“At this time, we are in the process of positively identifying the victim using DNA evidence,” Bowers said in an email. “It can take weeks for this information to come back, so we will release the identity of the victim when we have those results.”
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO), and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) are investigating the cause of the fire. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
In their news release, Chief Josh Horton and the Fripp Island Fire Department thanked those that came to their assistance.
“We would also like to express our gratitude to the agencies and organizations that assisted in this incident: Lady’s Island/St. Helena Fire District, City of Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department, Burton Fire District, Beaufort County EMS, Fripp Island Public Service District, and the Fripp Island Resort,” the release said. “Finally, we are profoundly grateful to the Fripp Island community, who provided food, drinks, ice, and support to firefighters throughout the response.”
Mike McCombs is the Editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.
