Lady's Island home destroyed by space heater fire

An elderly woman lost her home to a fire Tuesday night after her space heater caught flame when she tried to refill it with kerosine.

The Lady's Island-St. Helena Fire District responded to the 600-square-foot home on Sams Point Road around 8:15 p.m. and found it fully engulfed, according to Scott Harris, the district's public information officer.

Efforts to save the home were unsuccessful.

The woman, who lived alone, was taken to the hospital by a neighbor after she accidentally spilled a container of kerosine on the heater, the floor and herself, Harris said Wednesday.

She was treated for minor cuts and burns to her hands and leg.

"I can't stress enough the importance of space heater safety," Harris said. "This time of year it is very common for people to use them and, although they work well to keep a room warm, they can be very dangerous."

Residents should remember to make sure the area surrounding space heaters is clear of any objects that may catch flame and to follow the directions for how to use the heater.

This story was originally published January 20, 2016 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Lady's Island home destroyed by space heater fire."