Gaston, SC (Paul Kirby) – A shed was destroyed, a mobile home was damaged, and the woods around them both burned Sunday afternoon southeast of Gaston. There was a great deal of fire when someone discovered it all and dialed 911. Multiple units from Lexington County’s Fire Service and a truck and crew from Lexington EMS were dispatched to the fire. Stagecoach Road runs between Bitternut Court and Pine Plain Road outside the town of Gaston just off Hwy 321 south.
When firefighters arrived, they reported that the shed had already burned down, there was an advancing brush fire, and the mobile home was burning as well. Teams were assembled, and fire hoses were pulled to attack the mobile home fire and stop the brush fire from spreading any further. Within a short time, they had stopped the brush fire and extinguished it.
The crews also attacked, knocked down, and extinguished the fire in the mobile home. Afterward, firefighters turned their attention to the remains of the shed that wasn’t much more than a pile of embers at that point.
Tanker trucks were used to carry water to the fire from a hydrant in another area. Much of the equipment and manpower that was first dispatched to the fires turned out not to be needed. The battalion chief was able to reassign some of that equipment along with its crews to other emergencies or have them return to their quarters quickly.
Even though firefighters were able to handle the trio of fires fast, the mobile home was damaged to the extent that the residents were displaced. The battalion chief notified the American Red Cross so that they could come and assist the family.
It did not appear as if the anyone was injured as a result of the fire. Lexington County has not released any estimate of the monetary loss to the property or the cause of the fires.
