Swansea, SC (Paul Kirby) – A mobile home was destroyed by fire overnight on Myrtle Wise Road near Swansea. The first reports of the fire were received around midnight bringing firefighters and equipment from across the south region of Lexington County to fight the blaze. Myrtle Wise Road is off St. Matthews Road near Swansea High School.
The first fire resources to arrive were out of Lexington County’s Swansea station. When that truck’s officer pulled up, he reported that the singlewide mobile home was fully engulfed in flames.
Myrtle Wise is a narrow lane with no fire hydrants. The first due captain had to quickly think about how he could supply water with tanker trucks to fight the fire. Having multiple trucks committed to the narrow road would block each other in making it impossible to drive to the water source to refill. Eventually, the trucks had to take turns coming in to offload preventing a traffic jam. This allowed the crews to provide the necessary water flow to fight the blaze by carrying it in with trucks.
Personnel form Lexington County EMS assisted the firefighters with safety and law enforcement was on the scene to help as needed. The utility company was requested to disconnect the electricity from the home. Eventually, enough water was poured on the burning mobile home to put it out. Even after all the firefighters and equipment left the scene, a truck out of Swansea went back to check the rubble to make sure it was completely out.
Firefighters said it didn’t appear as if anyone was living in the mobile home at the time of the fire. Lexington County has not said what started the fire or if anyone was injured as a result of the blaze.
