Family flees early-morning fire that causes ‘significant damage’ to Port Royal house
Worried potential victims were inside, firefighters rushed into a Port Royal house that was ablaze when they arrived before dawn Friday morning.
Nobody was inside the house in the Shadow Moss neighborhood, but firefighters didn’t know that at the time.
“Without hesitation, the crews initiated an aggressive interior fire attack while simultaneously performing primary search and rescue operations,” Beaufort/Port Royal Fire said on Facebook.
Orange flames were shooting through the roof of the house on Kiawah Drive, lighting up the black sky, by the time crews with Beaufort/Town of Port Royal Fire Department and Parris Island Fire and Emergency Service arrived.
It was 4 a.m. With cars parked in the cul-de-sac, firefighters feared residents were likely home, prompting the aggressive response.
Five or six family members made it out uninjured before firefighters arrived, Ross Vezin, a spokesman for Beaufort/Port Royal fire, told the Beaufort Gazette and Island Packet. The blaze did major damage, leaving a family without shelter.
“It’s significant fire damage,” he said. “When we pulled up, it was already vented through the roof.”
There was still a danger to neighboring homes, Vezin said. “So that was one of our priorities — to make sure the neighbor’s house didn’t catch on fire due to the close proximity.”
The Red Cross was called to assist the family, Vezin said. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
Besides 22 firefighters, who remained on the scene for more than three hours, Dominion Energy, Port Royal police and Beaufort County EMS responded.
