MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – The fire that burned down an apartment building in Carolina Forest on Thursday night is not suspicious, according to Horry County Fire Rescue spokesman Mark Nugent.
Firefighters from multiple agencies responded Thursday night to the Windsor Green apartment complex in the Carolina Forest area.
The call to the Windsor Green apartments on Harvest Drive came in at 9:12 p.m. When firefighters arrived, they found people on balconies and several people jumped, Horry County Fire Rescue spokesman Mark Nugent told News13.
In an interview Friday morning, Nugent explained when the fire broke out, one family was forced to throw their baby from the apartment balcony to a teenager waiting below. In another unit, firefighters were able to rescue a woman and her dog.
Nugent says the firefighters work, partnered with help from “Good Samaritans,” prevented more people from being hurt.
“We got those people treated and got them away from here to the hospital in 13 or 14 minutes,” Nugent recalls. “The firefighters did a heck of a job, so we’re proud of what they did last night.”
Nugent says 16 people lived in the building that caught fire, and seven of them were taken to the hospital. Four of the victims were in critical condition. All of the injuries were for trauma, not burns, he said. Nugent confirmed Friday morning that one of the four critically injured victims was flown to MUSC for treatment.
There is no word on the condition of any of the victims Friday morning. No firefighters were injured, Nugent said.
Nugent wouldn’t say on Friday afternoon where the fire started. Nugent also didn’t say how the fire started.
“We have five investigators on location. Obviously a large presence from fire department and Horry County PD as well, but right now that’s probably a ways down the road,” said Nugent Thursday night.
Seventy people from different agencies responded including Horry County Fire Rescue, Conway Fire Department, Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue and Horry County Police.
Firefighters had the fire under control in about 30 minutes, Nugent said.
The apartment building didn’t have a sprinkler system, according to Nugent, because the building codes at the time it was built didn’t require sprinklers.
Nugent said crews were on scene throughout the night and a new crew will come in Friday morning around 8:30 a.m. to relieve those who first responded to the fire. Horry County Fire investigators, as well as Horry County Police investigators, will work to determine the cause of the fire.