Photo by Greg Driggers |
| View
of 218 Circle Drive on St. Simons Island
shortly after the fire was knocked down
Easter Sunday leaving a woman and her
children homeless. |
|
|
Photo by Greg Driggers |
| Additional
manpower provided needed support for a
quick knockdown, rehab, salvage and
overhaul. |
|
April
20, 2003 - Glynn County Fire units had just returned from
a fire alarm at a local church when a confirmed structure
fire call came in at 1617 hours Easter Sunday morning. It
was one of spring's warmest afternoons to date as
temperatures were in the upper eighties. Three fire units
from Station 2 on Demere Road and three units from Station
4 on Frederica Road were called to respond as well as the
St. Simons Island Volunteers.
As
Deputy Chief James Cochran and Volunteer Chief Joe Combs
responded from the mainland from some 9 miles away they
could see a huge cloud of heavy black smoke rising from
St. Simons Island. Deputy Chief James Cochran had
dispatched a second alarm tone for the mainland volunteers
as well.
Upon
arrival units saw flames and dark smoke coming from the
front second floor windows, entrance door and upper eves.
Some firefighters felt that by the time the fire was out
that the house would be on the ground. Several problems
were encountered from the start. The house had been built
on piers, which had been enclosed. The majority of the
fire was on the second story. The builder had used special
pre-treated enclosed flooring with insulation and void space.
The fire had already found entrance into the attic. There
was only one practical entrance from which firefighters
had to make their way by stairs under a porch which had
been on fire.
An
aggressive interior attack began immediately. The thick
black smoke limited vision and the fire was in the front
section of the house and was spreading in the attic above.
Firefighters gained control of the fire within thirty
minutes but with the difficulty of reaching many of the
hot spots it took some time getting to them. The primary
responding unit remained on the scene some four hours.
An
ongoing investigation continues as to the cause of the
fire. A woman and three children were said to be renting
the home at the time of the fire. A neighbor was heard
telling bystanders that he had seen smoke coming from one
of the windows. He went to investigate but when he opened
the door he described what one would guess as a back
draft. Flames rushed out immediately backing him away from
the entryway.
Homes
in the St. Simons Heights subdivision near the location of
the home at Circle Drive sell for about $185,000.
Firefighters estimate the loss to be less than fifty
percent.
The
good save could be due to the number of personnel on
location and the response of volunteers not only from St.
Simons Island but from the mainland as well. There were 15
paid and 12 volunteers who responded. It was a great
knockdown according to one of the officers on the scene.
Bystanders and onlookers on the scene stated how proud of
the firefighters they were and how amazing it was to see
their aggressiveness entering the burning structure after
arrival.
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