Man severely burned after attempting to stop Berkeley Co. forest fire
Man severely burned after attempting to stop Berkeley Co. forest fire
18 March 2015
published by www.live5news.com
USA — A man was severely burned after he fell into a fire which he was attempting to put out in Berkeley County.
On Tuesday night, crews with the Cainhoy Fire Department responded to Frost Lane off of Highway 41 for a person who had been burned.
When crews arrived they found a man with severe burns, as well as a large forest fire threatening multiple homes.
A medical helicopter was requested to respond for the burn patient, and a landing zone was set up by fire crews nearby on Charity Church Road.
Emergency officials say the patient was treated on scene by fire and EMS crews, and then flown to the burn center in critical condition with burns over 70% of his body.
According to witnesses at the scene, the man was reportedly trying to contain the fire using his tractor, and when the fire became too large to fight on his own, he jumped off of the tractor to flee the area and fell into the fire.
Authorities say his current condition is unknown at this time.
Fire crews from multiple communities worked to contain the fire and protect all nearby houses. South Carolina State Forestry also responded and used plows to create a line around the fire and stop any further fire spread. Crews remained on scene for more than three hours.
No buildings were damaged, and no other injuries were reported.
The fire burned approximately twenty-five acres and was determined to have started when a controlled burn of yard debris spread into the nearby woods, according to emergency officials.
Cainhoy Fire Department was assisted on scene by Macedonia Fire Department, Cordesville Fire Department, Huger Fire Department, Awendaw District Fire Department, South Carolina State Forestry, Berkeley County EMS, and LifeNet Air Transport.
The Cainhoy Fire Department would like to remind everyone to always exercise extreme caution when burning yard debris. State law requires a landowner to call the SC Forestry Commission before conducting a burn, have an adequate break around the burning site, have an adequate means of fire control such as a garden hose, and to stay with the fire until it is completely safe.
If you have any questions about open burning, contact either the South Carolina State Forestry Commission or your local Fire Department.
