Four people displaced after duplex fire in west Columbia
One family and another resident are displaced Monday morning after a fire burned through a duplex in west Columbia.
Fire crews got the call at 2:11 a.m. Monday and arrived at 1311 Scott Boulevard by 2:15 a.m.
When they got on scene, crews originally thought the smoke they saw was coming from the roof but the fire was burning on the back deck from the north unit.
Columbia Fire says crews conducted an aggressive attack and the fire was knocked down within 15 minutes of arrival.
Firefighters said there were four people inside the two-unit complex at the time of the fire; a family of three and a single resident in the southern unit. All of them made it out safely.
The four residents are receiving assistance from the American Red Cross for housing and some expenses to buy essentials.
The resident in the south unit told our ABC 17 News crews a neighbor broke through her window to wake her up. She said she wasn’t sure what to grab, but took just her phone and keys with her.
The cause of the fire was determined to be a smoker on the rear deck.A firefighter and a Red Cross employee told our crews the family was using the smoker on Sunday and the fire was ignited from an ember.
They said the family woke up after hearing things falling from the burning deck into their swimming pool.
Damage estimates are $100,000.
Three engines, a ladder, and a rescue squad responded to the incident.
A fire crew went back to the home later in the morning to check on the deck. He told ABC 17 News decks hold onto heat well so they want to monitor the deck and make sure it doesn’t spark up again.
