Pelion, SC – 04/13/2021 (Paul Kirby) – A brush fire consumed several acres of land in the 1600 block of Pine Street (SC Hwy 302) in Pelion Monday afternoon. This is not far from where Pine intersects with Hartley Quarter Road.
The fire was reported just after noon and even though it is a short distance from the county’s Pelion Fire Station, it had already grown in size and intensity prior to the arrival of the first fire trucks and manpower. The crew of the first due truck quickly reported that this was a working fire.
As the crew from Pelion sized up the extent of the fire, they began to call for more equipment and assistance from other county stations. This came in the form of specially equipped brush trucks, more fire engines, water tanker trucks, and additional manpower. The also requested help from the SC Forestry Commission. They responded with a bulldozer and plow to cut a firebreak around the burning property.
As the fire grew in intensity pushed by a strong breeze, thick smoke began to blanket Pine Street (SC Hwy 302) causing problems with visibility. At one point, many of the vehicles travelling in both directions were turning around in the highway because of near blackout conditions. It took some time for the fire to be put out and the smoke to lift from the road to improve visibility.
After the fire was placed under control, the firefighters and equipment returned to their respective stations to cleanup and reload equipment. Some later returned to the scene to ensure the fire was still within the firebreak.
Lexington County nor the SC Forestry Commission have said what started the fire.
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