Cayce, SC (Paul Kirby) – One person has been seriously injured in a house fire in Cayce early Tuesday morning. The city’s Department of Public Safety responded to the call for help around 3:30 a.m. The home is located on Lexington Avenue which runs between State Street and 8th Avenue. This is an older residential portion of the city.
When Cayce's first unit arrived on scene, it was reported that fire and smoke were coming from the home. First responders also encountered a woman in her mid-40’s that had suffered severe burns to her head, chest, and arms. Some of the firefighters began setting up to attack the blaze while others started rendering aid to the seriously injured woman. A Lexington County EMS unit quickly arrived, took over treatment of the patient, and transported her to Prisma’s Palmetto Richland campus. Another EMS unit was dispatched to the fire scene for standby.
Cayce’s fire commander requested assistance from the West Columbia Fire Department at the height of the blaze. They responded with two trucks and additional manpower. The combined teams attacked the fire and brought it under control in about 45-minutes.
Firefighters were transitioning from fire attack to a salvage and overhaul mode at approximately 4:15 a.m. During these operations, they were protecting what possessions they could locate in the home and searching for hidden embers that could rekindle.
The cause of the fire is under investigation however, Cayce police officers were searching the area for a man in connection to the fire almost immediately after the first equipment arrived. He was described as a black male who is bald and wearing just shorts. It is believed he might also have some burns on his body. As of 4:45 a.m., no one was being detained or had been arrested.
Investigators were enroute to the hospital to try and interview the injured woman while other officers searched the avenues for the suspect. Cayce’s Director of Public Safety Chief Byron Snellgrove was enroute to the scene as well.
If you have any information about this incident, please contact the Cayce Department of Public Safety at (803) 794-0456. You can also call Crimestoppers at 1-888 Crime SC.
