Fire ousts 15 from home
Eight adults and seven children were left homeless Sunday night after fire destroyed their Bonneau Beach mobile home.
Authorities say three generations of family members were living at the double-wide at 1068 Blue Flame Road when it caught fire around 5:30 p.m.
Lake Moultrie Fire Chief Charles Barton said flames already were coming out of the roof when firefighters responded within two minutes of receiving the 911 call.
Everyone had escaped by the time they got there, he said.
Louise Welch, executive director of the Carolina Lowcountry Chapter of the American Red Cross, said the woman who owns the house was sharing the home with her children, their spouses and children. The children ranged in age from 1 year old to 13 years old.
Barton said it took about 40 minutes to control the blaze and another 20 minutes to extinguish it altogether. He said they were able to save about half of the four-bedroom home.
"We were able to mount a pretty good attack and save part of the home," he said.
It appears that a water heater in one of the bedrooms shorted, causing the blaze, he said.
Fire departments from Bonneau, Macedonia and St. Stephen helped provide water to fight the fire.
Welch said the family declined shelter Sunday night because they wanted to stay together at another relative's house. The Red Cross gave the family money to replace some of their food and clothing.
Welch said the fire was a prime example of a trend going on in the Lowcountry. While the number of fires is not up, the organization is helping more people because the economy is forcing more extended family members to live with one another.
"We used to go to a house fire and the average number living there would be four," Welch said. "Now it's seven or eight, and evenings like tonight."
To assist this family or others, you can make a donation by sending a check to the American Red Cross, Carolina Lowcountry Chapter at 8085 Rivers Ave. Suite F in North Charleston, SC 29406 or by calling (843) 764-2323. Online donations can be made at LowcountryRedCross.org.
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Comments
Lois_Lane (anonymous) says...
Yep - got a brother-in-law livin' with me...anybody want him?
January 5, 2009 at 5:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mac0cm4 (anonymous) says...
15 people in a double-wide. Wow.
January 5, 2009 at 6:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sethook (anonymous) says...
There's got to be a Country Western Song in this story somewhere. "Fifteen in a Double Wide".
January 5, 2009 at 9:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CedarPosts (anonymous) says...
Sethook, it's been covered "Six Cousins in a Shotgun Shack. Conway Twitty I think.
"Welch said the family declined shelter Sunday night because they wanted to stay together at another relative's house."
So now how many people are living in the same double wide?
Blue Flame Road? Only in America!
January 5, 2009 at 10:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
coolfreaknbeans (anonymous) says...
I'm glad this family is ok. They are very very lucky. Mobile homes go up in flames so fast, they are almost instantly destroyed. My daughter had two friends (they were brothers) burn to death in a mobile home fire. The trailer went up in flames so fast they were trapped inside and killed. Never had a chance. I hope this family was insured and recovers quickly. At least they are all alive and together.
January 5, 2009 at 1:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
walleyedwoman1215 (anonymous) says...
ColdBeer, I hear you're going to become a grandfather. (Well, I know because you posted it.) Details, man, details!
January 5, 2009 at 4:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
coolfreaknbeans (anonymous) says...
I haven't seen ColdBeer post in a while.
January 5, 2009 at 7:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
moonpie (anonymous) says...
enough said,glad they're all ok.
15 people in one home? you think that could have contributed to the over load of the electrical system hence the fire?
January 5, 2009 at 7:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MRSCVS (anonymous) says...
I am glad that everyone made it out alive.
GOD BLESS
January 5, 2009 at 7:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rollo (anonymous) says...
Sounds to me like Gr'ma had too many eggs in one basket.
I'm happy to hear that all 15 of them got out OK.
But if they were living in Waco TX, or if they were Mormons, This story might have taken an entirely different slant!
15 in ONE double wide?? When I read the headline I figured they were illegal alien landscapers.
January 5, 2009 at 8:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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