LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. — Four departments responded to a house fire in Lexington County on Sunday morning amid freezing temperatures.
Irmo Fire District said the fire happened on Firebranch Street near Bush River Road and was under control in under an hour with assistance from the Columbia-Richland Fire Department, Lexington County Fire Service and the West Columbia Fire Department.
Authorities didn't share details on a possible cause for the fire but said the home's occupants escaped without harm.
According to the American Red Cross, this is the latest of several fires reported in the South Carolina Midlands over the last few days.
The agency reports responding to a fire in Lee County on Egypt Road that displaced five people, a Lexington County fire on Conifer Circle that displaced three people, and a house fire in Kershaw County on Horsehead Lane that displaced six people.
Sumter Fire also responded to a fire on Black River Road that injured four people and killed an infant.
While the causes of these fires are still under investigation, the Red Cross reports that it responds to 30% more house fires during the colder months.
The agency urges residents to place space heaters on hard, non-flammable surfaces, never leave them unattended, never use extension cords or outlet expanders to plug them in, keep them away from anything that can burn, and be mindful of children and pets.
The Red Cross also said never to use a cooking range or oven for heat, never leave a fire in a fireplace unattended, and to have furnaces, chimneys, fireplaces, and wood or coal stoves inspected annually by a professional.
