Crews respond to overnight house fire in Pawleys Island

Midway Fire Rescue crews, along with mutual aid crews, battled an overnight fire in a Pawleys Island neighborhood and remained on scene investigating late into Tuesday morning.

Fire Chief Doug Eggiman, with Midway Fire Rescue, said firefighters responded around 1:07 a.m. to the home and found a fully-involved blaze in the large home’s chimney and attic.

Mutual aid came from Georgetown County and City fire departments as well as Murrells Inlet - Garden City and Horry County Fire Rescue. Eggiman said knocking out the fire was a great team effort.

Eggiman said the cold temperatures posed a challenge for firefighters on scene as it caused icing and difficulty for firefighters who needed to both cool down and stay warm at the same time.

“The cold certainly added to some of the challenges we faced,” he said.

He said it appears the fire may have been chimney-related, but its origins are still under investigation.

Homeowner Ana Ferrer told WPDE that she, her husband, and her son escaped the house after smelling smoke just after going to bed. She said she believed the fire spread from an outdoor fireplace that was connected to the newly-built house.

She said the family moved in about four months ago.

The home is likely a total loss for the occupants.

This story was originally published January 10, 2017 at 9:40 AM with the headline "Crews respond to overnight house fire in Pawleys Island."