EUTAWVILLE, S.C. — Orangeburg County Fire departments in Eutawville, Holly Hill and Vance responded to calls late Sunday night about a residential camper on fire.
The fire started initially in one camper at Lakeside Marina and Resort and then spread quickly to the neighboring camper.
The explosions from the campers caused boats docked nearby to be threatened.
April Spivey lives on one of those houseboats and escaped the fire by being proactive.
“So, we see the camper and the boat are on fire and we start hearing explosions and I said due to the debris from the trees and the wind, I said 'We gotta go, we gotta take off, so I unhooked,'” Spivey said. “I couldn’t really get through the tight gap that we we’re trying to make it through, so I jumped in the water and pushed the boat and we drifted to safety.”
Spivey says if emergency services did not come, things could have been a lot worse.
“Oh, it is a domino effect of explosions because the camper got a small fire and then it got a car and then the car next to it and then the camper next to it and then the wind just keeps blowing it and blowing it, and if the fire department did not show up when it did,” Spivey said, “The whole place would be down right now.”
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Dianna Beylotte lives directly in front of where the fire happened and she says it’s important for homeowners to be prepared for situations like this.
“Run, have fire extinguishers available if anything happens like this,” said Beylotte. “Be sure all your animals are safe and put away and call 911”
The cause of the fire is still under investigation by Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office and Orangeburg County Fire District.
