ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. — A community is in mourning this week after a fire killed two family members in Orangeburg despite rescue efforts.
Fred Miles, a neighbor, recalled when he saw a fire devouring the house across the street.
"My wife woke me up, and she was hearing some yelling outside, and it seemed like it was a fight," Miles said. "But I was like, 'Let's check it out,' make sure because it was right next to our window, but by the time we came outside, there was firetrucks, ambulance. It was scary."
According to the Orangeburg Fire Department, crews arrived at the 1800 block of Sharperson Street on Saturday to a large structure fire with two people trapped inside.
"We had a total of eight units that responded to that location. Two persons were transported from that location to receive treatment in Charleston," Public Safety Director Charles Austin Sr. said.
The two victims that were taken to the hospital later died.
Officials identified them as 46-year-old Shona Clark and an unnamed three-year-old.
Battalion Chief Jonathan Winningham at the Orangeburg Fire Department said Shona Clark ran through the house, alerting her family of the danger. She died after trying to remove the three-year-old from the house.
Austin said 12 people were in the home at the time of the fire.
"It's a very difficult situation because our condolences are extended to the families that were involved, of course," he said. "We have talked with our personnel because this type of thing has an effect on them as well."
Miles said the family has always been nice and friendly since he moved in less than a year ago.
"Most of the family members would talk, and I did talk to one of the family members that was over there and it was heart-shattering," she said.
Miles said he spoke with the family after the fire and hopes they recover.
"I just hope the family gets taken care of for a while, and my heart bleeds out to them. It's sucks for anyone to lose family members," he said.