Firefighters were hampered in their efforts to save the Screen Tight factory because it had no sprinkler system to control the blaze and toxic fumes sent several people to the hospital with breathing problems, officials said.
Smoke and flames coming from the plant damaged more than a dozen engines, cars and ladder trucks from across the county. The byproduct of burning material used to make screen doors turned metal trim different colors and contaminated vehicles driven to the scene, Georgetown County Emergency Services Director Mike Mock said.
Other problems with water pressure and containment were encountered while firefighters attacked the large-scale fire.
The firefighters could not launch a full attack inside the building because Screen Tight did not have a sprinkler system, Mock said.
Although updated fire codes require sprinkler systems in larger plants, older factories sometimes are exempt from stricter regulations, fire officials said.
"In my mind, a sprinkler system would have held the fire long enough and it would have ... given the fire department time to get into the building before it spread so fast," Mock said. "When they first arrived on the scene, they tried to an interior attack. They realized it would be unsafe, and they pulled the firefighters out of the building."
There were no serious injuries, but some firefighters had breathing problems, Mock said.
About six firefighters from Midway Fire Department had symptoms that could have been caused by inhaling hydrochloric acid, a byproduct of burning material from the plant, Mock said.
The firefighters were taken to the hospital but were released Saturday night, he said.
Tonya Smalls, manager of several apartments on U.S. 17 South, said the smoke looked like a "mushroom cloud."
"It was sort of like a nuclear bomb," she said. "I thought it was the airport or Horry-Georgetown Technical College."
About 15 trucks and vehicles were damaged, Mock said.
Damage estimates still are being calculated, he said. The firetrucks and cars were scrubbed after the fire was put out.
"Every truck that was on the scene was affected by the smoke, and all trucks had to be decontaminated," Mock said.
Firefighters who arrived on the scene within minutes of the first call for help were unable to enter Screen Tight. The fire was reported at 10:27 a.m., and the first firefighters were at the plant by 10:33 a.m., Mock said.
Screen Tight, which was built in 1998, was not required to have a sprinkler system. Newer buildings on the 22-acre site, used to make other products, have sprinkler systems, Mock said.
The 1997 state fire code did not require sprinklers for some manufacturing plants, said Gary Mocarski, fire inspector for Murrells Inlet-Garden City Fire Department. The codes were updated in 2003, but there is no requirement for older buildings to be updated, Mocarski said.
"In the 2000 international codes and 2003 international codes, which South Carolina and Georgetown County have adopted, there are a whole lot more requirements for buildings to be sprinklered," Mocarski said.
Sprinklers are required if a building has a new owner and is being used for a new purpose, he said.
Some workers returned to Screen Tight this week as the investigation continued into the cause of the blaze.
The screen door-production line was down, but employees made outdoor wooden trim and shipped finished screen doors.
The State Law Enforcement Division's arson team continues to investigate the fire, SLED spokeswoman Kathryn Richardson said.
About 50 screen door-production employees will be without work until the damage is repaired at Screen Tight.
The blaze did not damage a shipping area for Screen Tight or the Royal Wood building, which is next to Screen Tight, company officials said. Both are owned by Guerry Green, interim chairman of the Santee Cooper board of directors.
The administrative offices of Screen Tight were moved to another Georgetown building.
Mock said the combined efforts of Georgetown firefighters, as well as those from Georgetown County, Horry County, Murrells Inlet-Garden City and Midway Fire Department, went well Saturday.
"I think they have been doing a lot of training over the years because we do have major manufacturers in this area," he said. "Anytime they have an incident, they will go back and do critiques and see if they can do better. From my observations, the departments worked great together. The operations were done very professionally and scientifically and seemed to be managed very well."
Distributed by the Associated Press
