Red Cross helps Yemassee family after fire destroys its home

American Red Cross volunteers are helping a pair of Yemassee residents whose home was lost to fire on Tuesday afternoon.

The Cochran Street home was “a total loss” after a fire that involved at least 80 percent of the house around 1 p.m., Hampton County Fire and Rescue Department Fire Chief Greg Cook said Wednesday. There were no injuries and no one was home when the fire started, he said.

The fire appears to have started in the bedroom, where the homeowner told fire officials he may have forgotten to turn his space heater off before he left for work. Cook said. One of the neighbors notice the fire and called for help.

“It was already coming through the roof when we got there,” Cook said. He happened to be at the Yemassee fire station when the call came in, he said. Firefighters got to the house in three to four minutes.

Financial help from the Red Cross will help the family manage their food, clothing, lodging and other essential needs, according to a Red Cross news release.Joan McDonough: 843-706-8125, @IPBG_Joan

This story was originally published January 11, 2017 at 9:07 AM with the headline "Red Cross helps Yemassee family after fire destroys its home."