Fires displace residents, one man taken Augusta burn unit

BY SCHUYLER KROPF

The Post and Courier

An elderly Charleston man was taken to the regional intensive care burn unit in Augusta early Saturday following one of several fires reported around the Lowcountry.

With the 2010 year just days old, officials also issued a warning to be fire-aware, as the dropping temperatures are expected to increase the demand for home heat.

The injured man’s house, at 94 Gordon St., north of The Citadel Campus, was reported to be burning at about 4:45 a.m. when several people called 911.

Neighbors identified the man as Louis Waring, age not available. He is not the Louis Waring who is a member of Charleston City Council.

A Medical University of South Carolina spokesperson said the victim had to be transported to the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital in Augusta, where he was listed in critical condition Saturday afternoon.

A neighbor said she had concerns for the man’s safety since he lived alone.

“It was in the back of our minds all the time, an old man staying by himself,” said next-door neighbor Marjorie Steplight. She said the house was filled with smoke and that it took firefighters some time to locate him.

Firefighters saw “flame showing when they arrived,” fire department public information officer Mark Ruppel said.

There is no reason to believe the fire was part of the spate of unsolved arsons reported around the city in recent months, Ruppel said. The cause is under investigation.

Also Saturday, North Charleston Fire Department crews responded to a fire shortly after 9 a.m. in the 5000 block of Fargo Street off Montague Avenue that caused significant damage to a residence.

There were no injuries but one adult and two children were displaced. The Red Cross is assisting the family. The cause is still being investigated.

Hours later, North Charleston crews were called to a debris and trash fire that threatened the outside of a metal and scrap yard warehouse in the vicinity of the 2800 block of King Street Extension. Saturday’s strong winds whipped the flame and smoke up but fire crews had the blaze under control in a few moments.

American Red Cross officials and volunteers have already responded to four Lowcountry home fires in 2010, including in Walterboro during the late hours of New Year’s Eve.

On New Year’s Day, fire consumed the homes of two other families in West Ashley and St. Stephens. All four homes were completely destroyed.

At least 14 individuals, including five children, have received Red Cross disaster assistance services this weekend.

Reach Schuyler Kropf at 937-5551, or skropf@postandcourier.com.

To Help:

The Lowcountry Chapter of the American Red Cross provides emergency relief with temporary housing, funds to help replace clothing and other assistance. The community can donate to the Red Cross Heroes for Fire Victims Campaign. For more information, contact the American Red Cross at (843) 764-2323 ext. 368.

A financial donation can be made by sending a check to the American Red Cross, Carolina Lowcountry Chapter located at 8085 Rivers Ave., Suite F. North Charleston, SC 29406 or by calling (843) 764-2323 ext. 368.

For more information or to make a secure online donation, please visit www.LowcountryRedCross.org.