By Noah Feit
The State
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Multiple South Carolina homes were damaged Tuesday by an early-morning fire in Columbia, officials said.
The “2-alarm fire ripped through multiple homes in the Summit neighborhood,” the Columbia Fire Department said in a news release.
At about 1 a.m., members of the department’s 1st Shift crews responded to the fire on Gardenhill Drive, according to the release. That’s in the northeast area of Columbia, near the junction of Summit Parkway and Summit Ridge Drive.
The first firefighters on the scene found one home was fully involved as the blaze quickly spread through the house next door, the fire department said.
This prompted the call for a second alarm and more help battling the smoke and flames, according to the release.
The fire was ultimately brought under control and extinguished, the fire department said. Information about how long it took to put out the fire was not available.
Occupants of all of the homes affected by the fire safely escaped, and there were no injuries, according to the fire department.
Two homes were “heavily damaged,” while a third also suffered exposure damages because of the high heat, the fire department said.
Information about the extent of the damages, and if the homes are considered total losses, was not available.
The American Red Cross said it’s assisting 13 people whose homes were damaged by the fire. It’s providing financial assistance for immediate needs such as food, clothing, and shelter, according to the Red Cross.
There was no word about the cause of the fire, where it started, or if foul play is suspected. The Richland County Fire Marshal is investigating what caused the fire.
The Red Cross urged people to prepare for a worst-case scenario.
“Every second counts when there’s a home fire. To help protect your household, test your smoke alarms each month and practice your escape plan until everyone can get out in less than two minutes,” the Red Cross said.
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