A pre-dawn house fire in Horry County early Thursday heavily damaged the back of a home and sent one firefighter to the hospital with minor injuries, according to officials. Crews spent about an hour knocking down the flames before bringing the blaze under control. The cause remains under investigation, and no other injuries have been reported.
What Happened
Fire crews were dispatched around 5:15 a.m. to the 5000 block of South Kings Highway, where they arrived to find heavy fire at the rear of the residence and what officials described as "some extension inside," according to WFXB. Units had the flames under control at about 6 a.m. One firefighter was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, and investigators remained on scene to begin looking into how the fire started.
Local Context
The South Kings Highway corridor has not exactly been quiet for fire crews lately. Earlier in June, firefighters responded to the 6000 block of South Kings Highway after a blaze caused attic damage to a home, WMBF reported. No injuries were reported in that earlier incident, but it underscored how quickly house fires can spread in the busy Grand Strand area. Fire officials continue to urge residents to test smoke detectors regularly and make sure everyone in the home knows an escape plan.
Investigation and Safety
Horry County Fire Rescue investigators are working to determine what sparked Thursday's blaze. Reports did not say whether any criminal activity was being investigated. Reports also did not include a request that neighbors contact Horry County dispatch or the fire marshal's office. The injured firefighter's condition was described as minor.
