Irmo, SC (Paul Kirby) – Two homes were heavily damaged and a third had its siding melted in a residential fire in Irmo Saturday afternoon. The fire happened sometime around 3:00 p.m. on Merchants Drive. Irmo’s on duty battalion chief struck a second alarm before the fire was brought under control.
Firefighters from the Irmo Fire District, the Lexington County Fire Service, and the City of Columbia Fire Department all fought the fire that was consuming the two homes. The third home, which already had some of its siding melting because of the radiating heat, was their priority and firefighters trained their water streams on it to protect it from igniting also. Once this was done, they began to attack the fire in the two other homes that were intensely burning.
Because of the drain on the manpower who were actively fighting the fire, the chief struck the second alarm. This brought more equipment and desperately needed manpower to the scene. Once more manpower arrived, the crews were able to bring the fire under control.
No one was injured during the firefight, according to the IFD. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
