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Three fire crews arrived at the home of Michael and Julia Davis at 15 Falmouth Way at about 10:30 a.m. to find the single-story home's garage in flames, said Kirk O'Leary, district public information officer.
A plumber installing a tankless water heater in the attic and the couple escaped uninjured and called 911.
O'Leary believed the fire started when an item in the attic brushed up against a light bulb and began to smolder. The home sustained some water and smoke damage, O'Leary said, and the attic and garage were destroyed.
"We believe it was accidental," he said. "There was a lot of stuff packed in the attic and it's really hot. If something leans against a light bulb, like plastic bags or containers, it can smolder and catch on fire."
Homes next to the burning house were evacuated in case the fire spread, but crews contained the blaze.
One firefighter sustained minor injuries when a small chuck of the home's ceiling caved in and fell on the back of his neck, said Battalion Chief Todd Malphrus. The firefighter was taken by a co-worker to Coastal Carolina Hospital, where he was treated and released, Malphrus said.
Fire crews had the blaze under control in about 20 minutes but battled temperatures in the upper 90s and high humidity for about three hours while putting out hot spots above the garage. The three crews worked rotating shifts, took frequent breaks and were monitored by Beaufort County EMS.
At about noon, firefighters also were called to a home in Baynard Park in Okatie after an air conditioning unit malfunctioned, said Battalion Chief Paul Boulware. Damage was minor, and no one was injured, he said.
Plumber Marty Maclauchlan, who had been working to cinch water lines and install the water heater in the attic of the Sun City home at about 10 a.m., said he smelled smoke across the room and crawled over to investigate.
That's when he noticed the smoldering packages. The plumber quickly removed the items, got the couple out, turned off the gas and called 911. He then returned to the attic with a hose to try to quell the flames, but the blaze had already spread, he said.
"I tried to spray everything down, but it took off like a rocket," Maclauchlan said. "I knew a garden hose wouldn't do much. I was just trying to keep it from getting out of control. The guys got here real fast and did a super job."
Maclauchlan said he was baffled by the incident.
"In my 38 years on the job, I've never see anything like it," he said. "I treat every job like it's my own home. I'm always mindful, with every gas line or connection, that something could go wrong."
The couple were resting at a neighbors' home while crews finished working.
"It's such a shock to the system," Maclauchlan said. "I feel for them."
