Home burns, dog killed in Beaufort County fire. Firefighters point to lack of hydrants

One dog was killed and another is unaccounted for after a two-story home in Seabrook burned to the ground Wednesday night.

Firefighters said the lack of hydrants in the neighborhood made fighting the Whale Branch Drive blaze difficult.

Lt. Dan Byrne, spokesman for the Burton Fire District, said the fire started around 4:30 p.m., and firefighters were still on the scene after midnight. The dog that died was a bloodhound and the dog that is still missing is believed to be a husky, he said.

Firefighters are still investigating the cause of the fire, but they believe it started in the back of the home, Byrne said. By Thursday evening, it was not clear whether the fire started inside or outside but there was nothing to suggest the fire was suspicious.

The homeowner was walking one of her dogs when she noticed smoke coming from the house, according to a Beaufort County Sheriff's Office report. At first she thought the smoke might be coming from her neighbor's house, she told deputies.

A friend of the homeowner's family was upstairs in a bedroom at the time. He was playing video games at the time and didn't immediately hear the smoke detectors, he told firefighters.

When he heard a dog scratching at the door, he opened it and the smoke poured inside, according to the report.

He grabbed the dog and started running down the stairs, he told deputies. On his way down he fell, dropping the dog, which ran to hide in the dining room. Seeing more smoke and flames near the back door, he ran out of the house.

Neither the homeowner nor the friend knew how the fire started, according to the report.

A neighbor's cat that was hiding under the burning house was rescued by firefighters, Byrne said.

Beaufort-Port Royal Fire Department, Sheldon Fire District, MCAS Fire Department and Jasper County Fire Rescue were called to help provide a water supply, according to Byrne.

Burton firefighters advocate for hydrants to be installed in residential areas like Seabrook where hydrants are scarce or nonexistent, Byrne said. Fire departments are not responsible for or capable of installing the infrastructure to support hydrants.

There were no known injuries to residents or firefighters as of 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

Byrne said the investigation into the cause of the fire was continuing at that time.

This story was originally published May 10, 2018 at 10:04 AM with the headline "Home burns, dog killed in Beaufort County fire. Firefighters point to lack of hydrants."