From staff reports
The Burton Fire District, MCAS Fire Department, Beaufort County Emergency Medical Services, and Beaufort County Sherriff’s Office responded to a house fire Thursday afternoon, Sept. 30, which resulted in damages but no injuries thanks to a smoke alarm.
At approximately 3 p.m., emergency crews responded to a report of a house fire in the 100 block of Broad River Blvd. The resident stated that smoke and flames were coming from her stove and that she had safely evacuated.
Firefighters arrived on scene to find a single-story home with smoke coming from a side door. While Burton fire crews stretched a fire hose to the door, they had arrived quick enough to use a fire extinguisher from the fire truck to extinguish the fire, limiting damages.
The fire was confined to the stove area causing moderate damages. Power to the kitchen had to be turned off, and the home was full of smoke and carbon monoxide. The resident, an adult female, was displaced. The Red Cross was notified.
The resident said she had just come home from the hospital, had taken her medicine, and fell asleep unaware the stove was still on. A smoke alarm woke her, and she saw fire consuming her stove and cabinets. She tried to use her home fire extinguisher but it did not operate.
Burton fire officials stress the importance of having working smoke alarms, less than 10 years old, properly placed; as well as, a home ABC fire extinguisher that is less than five years old mounted by the kitchen and an exit.
Fire officials caution relying on the extinguisher’s gauge to determine its operability.
“If the arrow on the gage is pointing to green and ‘Good,’ that only means that the extinguisher is pressurized, not that it will operate,” said Burton Fire Engineer Chase Davidson, who responded to today’s fire. “The powder begins to clump over time, and when you go to use the fire extinguisher, all you will do is release the pressure, but no powder will come out. “
