At approximately 9:40 PM on August 12th, 2014 the Pageland Fire Department responded to a report of a house fire near the intersection of West McGregor Street and Legion Street. 

Firefighters arrived to find a large unoccupied wood frame house which was already 1/3 consumed by a rapidly advancing fire.

Firefighters had to first establish a water supply by connecting to a nearby hydrant with a five inch supply hose.

Pageland firefighters then deployed two hose lines to attack the fire from the sides of the house while a deck gun was used to attack the fire from the front. 

High Point’s ladder truck was set up and supplied with a five inch supply hose and began attacking the fire from above, at times pouring over 1000 gallons per minute of water into the house.

The house was built in the early 1900s. Typical of homes constructed in this era, the frame, floor, walls, and ceilings were all constructed of heart pine. Once ignited, heart pine burns very hot, very fast, and requires large amounts of water to extinguish. 

Firefighters worked for several hours fighting the fire and used an estimated 70,000 gallons of water.

Despite firefighters hard work the majority of the house was destroyed before the fire could be stopped. 

One firefighter was treated on scene by First Health EMS for heat exhaustion. No other injuries were reported.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has been called in to investigate the fire.