Crouch Home on Plum Branch Road Burns

            The home of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Crouch on Plum Branch Road in Edgefield County was lost to fire early Sunday morning, Oct. 6.  According to Edgefield City Fire Chief Roger Ellis, the fire is believed to have started on the back deck where earlier Saturday evening the homeowners had been grilling.  The fire traveled up the back wall of the residence and started inside the home in the attic.  Mrs. Crouch was alerted by a noise and woke her husband.  The two were able to get out of the home unharmed.  However, a cat was lost in the fire.  The home was equipped with smoke detectors, but due to the smoke going upward since the fire was in the attic, those detectors did not sound until after the Crouches were out of the home.

                        Chief Ellis said that the family has “lost an awful lot” and that the house is not salvageable.  However, they were able to save some items from the home.  

                        Nortside and Westside Fire Departments responded to the blaze to assist Edgefield Fire Department.  The initial call for this fire went out a little after midnight. However, fire fighters had to return multiple times due to re-kindles.  Other than what was described as a few bruises and scratches to firefighters and the death of the family cat, there were no other injuries reported as a result of this fire.

                        The Crouch residence was one of the historic homes of Edgefield County, having been built in the 1800s.  Sam Crouch is well known to the Edgefield community; he has been the longtime proprietor of ACE Hardware on the Edgefield Town Square.  

Merriwether Home Lost to Fire

                        A home at 470 Wilderness Trail in the Merriwether section of Edgefield County was declared a total loss as a result of an early morning fire, Sunday, Oct. 6.  According to Merriwether Fire Department Chief Joey Smith, the fire is believed to have possibly started as a result of an electrical short in the kitchen area of the home.  The homeowner was asleep on a couch when the fire started but was awakened by the fire. She and her dogs were able to get out the home safely.  The home had smoke detectors, but they were not working.  

                        Firefighters received the fire call a little before 1:00 Sunday morning.  Merriwether Fire Department along with County Line and Westside Fire Departments responded to this call.  There were no injuries as a result of this fire.