Burton and MCAS Beaufort firefighters responded to a house fire Sunday, Oct. 21, in which the Red Cross was notified to assist a mother and four children whose home was damaged in the blaze.
Just after 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 21, Burton and MCAS Beaufort firefighters responded to a reported house fire on Walter Drive. Callers said smoke and flames were coming from the home.
Firefighters arrived and reported heat with almost zero visibility as they entered the residence. Crews searched the home for trapped occupants and extinguished the fire, which was located in the kitchen. Firefighters found no one was inside the home. While the fire was quickly brought under control, extinguishment was delayed due to the fire being able to burning through the ceiling and into the attic area, causing smoldering in the insulation.
The fire is under investigation. While fire damages were confined to the kitchen area, the home suffered heat and smoke damages throughout. Red Cross was notified to assist the family.
Burton fire officials recommend families get in the habit of performing safety checks of their homes before leaving and going to bed; check to ensure stoves are turned off, candles blown out, extension cords unplugged, ashtrays emptied in metal containers, all doors in the home closed, and smoke detectors operational.
