Firefighters rescue these scaly creatures during Monday night Beaufort blaze
Firefighters battled a fire at a downtown Beaufort house Monday evening and saved some dragons in the process.
Fire crews arrived at 7:30 p.m. to find a working fire at the 2,000 square-foot Wilmington Street residence, according to Ross Vezin, a spokesman for the Beaufort/Port Royal Fire Department.
Beaufort County EMS and Beaufort police also responded.
Crews quickly extinguished the fire but that’s not all. They also rescued three pet bearded dragons being kept in an aquarium inside the residence.
“They saved the scaly babies!” one person responded on Facebook. “Heroes.”
Bearded dragons typically grow between 18 to 24 inches (including their tails) and weigh roughly 10 to 18 ounces, according to National Geographic. They have spiny scales and a wide, flattened body.
Where did the fire start?
Vezin did not have a dollar amount on the damage to the house but said it did heavy damage to the front. The cause is under investigation.
“It appears it started on the front porch,” he said.
No injuries were reported.
Local firefighters also responded to a second fire at the same time Monday evening off of Mystic Circle. That blaze caused minor damage. It started in pine straw on the roof.
This story was originally published July 7, 2026 at 12:18 PM.
