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1996-03-22
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Seven Killed in House Fire
Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina
May 24, 1993
An early morning house fire killed seven of the eleven people staying
there. The victims included three adults and four children. Two women and
their babies escaped with only minor injuries.
Firefighters were called to the single-story wood frame home at
12:05 a.m. EDT. When the first firefighters arrived 3 minutes later,
they found fire showing from the front window and door of the home.
Firefighters attempted to enter the home to rescue the occupants
through a rear door which opened into the kitchen but found it blocked by
four unconscious victims. All four were pronounced dead at the scene
after being removed by firefighters. They were later identified as a 56-
year-old male, a 41-year-old male, a 62-year-old female, and an 8-year-
old boy. Firefighters later found a 2-year-old boy near the front door
in the living room. The remaining two children, 3 and 5 year old boys,
were found in a rear bedroom where they apparently fled to escape the fire
in the living room where they had been sleeping.
Batesburg Fire Chief Sandy Spradley reported that one of the women
who escaped awoke to find the bed in the living room on fire. She reportedly
fled the fire through the front door with her baby. Once she reached the
porch she laid her baby down and was preparing to reenter to rescue others
when the living room apparently reached flashover, blowing out the front
window. Due to the intensity of the fire, she was unable to reenter the
building and retreated to safety. The other woman who escaped, reportedly
fled through a bedroom window.
Chief Spradley reported that the accidental fire started in a living
room being used as a bedroom. He believes the fire was started by careless
use of smoking materials but has not yet ruled out all other possible causes.
No smoke detectors were found during overhaul or the subsequent origin and
cause investigation.
Batesburg-Leesville is a consolidated town of 10,000 residents located
30 miles southwest of Columbia. The fire department consists of 35 volunteer
members and operates two engines, two tankers, and a rescue squad. Chief
Spradley reported that approximately 20 of the departments members responded
to the fire.
Contacts:
Chief Sandy Spradley
Batesburg Fire Department
(803) 532-4408
Submitted by:
Mark Chubb
(410) 465-4596
CompuServe 72233,3461