Arson investigator on scene of fire at vacant North Charleston home

An arson investigator is studying a morning fire at a vacant house in North Charleston.

The fire started about 3:30 a.m. at a two-story, wood-frame house at Rock Street and Ashley Phosphate Road, said Fire Department spokeswoman Bianca Sancic. Smoke was visible from Interstate 26 as firefighters found the house engulfed in flames.

Paramedics treated a neighbor for smoke inhalation and a firefighter for a minor ankle injury, Sancic said.

Rock Street was closed for about four hours as firefighters battled the blaze.

Charleston County deputies remained at the scene after the road opened to investigate the fire’s cause.

The structure was an older residence that at one time was remodeled into several smaller apartments, Chief Deputy John Clark said. The building was damaged by fire in December and no repairs had been made.

This fire started on the front porch where several chairs and couches were located, he said. The blaze most likely started on the fabric of the chairs, then moved up the wall to the roof, eventually causing massive damage to what was an already heavily damaged structure, Clark said.

An arson investigator is examining evidence collected at the scene, he said.