Gaston, SC (Paul Kirby) – Lexington County firefighters responded to a working structure fire on Carolyn Trail off Glenn Road just before noon Monday. Multiple stations responded in an area where tanker operations are often used to supply water for fighting fire.
Before fire trucks were on scene, a Lexington County EMS crew arrived and reported that heavy smoke was pushing from the eaves of the home. That crew continued to communicate with the battalion chief enroute allowing him to formulate a plan before arriving on scene. They stayed there as the firefighters battled the blaze to assist in keeping them safe. A special truck from the fire service also responded to assist with firefighter rehab.
As firefighters and equipment began to arrive, a supply line was laid down the road. This helps to prevent multiple trucks from having to go in and out the narrow road that dead ends. If this isn’t done, trucks can get stacked up at the fire and tankers can’t move freely.
The second battalion chief responded to act as the safety officer at the fire. This is something that further protects our firefighters from being injured. If both battalions are committed, a duty officer oversees the rest of the county’s fire protection. Monday, that officer began to move trucks to empty stations ensuring all areas of Lexington County had fire protection.
Firefighters had the blaze under control in about an hour. They were still on scene pulling the ceiling and walls after 1:00 p.m. trying to locate any hidden embers. Once they finished, they began to pick up their hoses and clean their gear. They began shutting down operations around 1:30 p.m.
It’s much too early to determine what caused the fire. A specially trained fire marshal responded to assist with that.
