Smoke alarms didn’t sound

Fire chief says Eargle followed protocol

Photo provided State Law Enforcement Division officers began their investigation Wednesday into the fire at Bishopville’s Fire Station No. 1. Lee County Fire Chief Mike Bedenbaugh praised Fire Engineer Brian Eargle’s response to the Tuesday blaze.

By RANDY BURNS Item Staff Writer
rburns@theitem.com

BISHOPVILLE – Smoke detectors in the bedroom and dayroom areas of Fire Station No. 1 on East Church Street did not function during Tuesday night’s fire that began in the dayroom, according to fire officials.
Fire Engineer Brian Eargle was asleep in the station’s bedroom when the fire started about 11:30 p.m. Eargle said he woke up coughing. He escaped the fire, which caused an estimated $30,000 in damages, with no injuries.

Eargle said he believed it was fortunate the fire occurred before he was in a “deep sleep.”

Officials said the fire alarms did not do their job.

“They are supposed to be working in both rooms,” said Lee County Fire Chief Mike Bedenbaugh. “I had assumed they were both working. We’re going with AC and a battery pack. I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

Bedenbaugh praised Eargle for his response to the fire.

“I have no criticisms at all,” he said. “I think Brian made good decisions.”

After waking up, Eargle said he hit the floor immediately and stayed low, crawling toward the outside of the building after discovering the fire was coming from the dayroom.

He was able to drive two fire vehicles out of the building and began pouring water into the dayroom before additional firefighters arrived on the scene.

Bedenbaugh said he thinks Eargle acted properly when he entered the building alone to retrieve the fire vehicles and to begin pouring water on the fire.

Standard firefighting procedures require a minimum of two firefighters inside a burning building, officials said.

“After exiting the building, I did not re-enter a room where there was smoke or fire,” Eargle said. “There was no smoke where the fire trucks were located. It was safe in there. And I did not go back into the dayroom. I stood outside the doorway and poured water on the fire.”

Eargle said he was only 3 to 4 feet from the outside of the building when he was using the fire hose.

When firefighters arrived, they entered the room with the required structural firefighting clothing and federally mandated equipment.

Bedenbaugh said Eargle did not violate regulations; however, he said he would like to see two firefighters assigned to the fire station overnight. Funding issues in the past have prevented the department from assigning two firefighters to overnight duty, he said.

“I will be working with County Council on this,” he said. “In fact, we’ve been talking about it. They know we would like a second person on duty overnight.”

According to the State Law Enforcement Division, the investigation of the fire is continuing. Bedenbaugh said he understands investigators believe the fire appears to be “electrical in nature.”

Contact Staff Writer Randy Burns at rburns@theitem.com or (803) 491-4533.