Two Saluda County, SC, Firefighters Killed Responding to Hurricane Helene Call

Editor's Note: Blackshear, GA Assistant Fire Chief Leon Davis also was killed Friday when a tree fell on his vehicle. 

Two volunteer firefighters in rural South Carolina were killed Friday morning, responding to a call as Hurricane Helene rolled through the area.

The firefighters worked for the volunteer-staffed fire service in Saluda County, which sits on the other side of Lexington County from Columbia and has about 19,000 residents. The firefighters haven’t been identified, and no explanation has been given about how they were killed.

Gov. Henry McMaster confirmed the firefighters’ deaths during a Friday afternoon press conference, saying that they are two of four deaths confirmed in the state.

Officials said all four deaths were confirmed to be traffic-related.

Authorities in the county posted multiple times overnight and into the morning cautioning residents about conditions in the area.

The county’s EMS paused service temporarily a little before 9 a.m.

“Please be patient,” the department posted to Facebook. “There are trees down on the roads which is blocking ambulance access to callers. We will get to you as soon as we possibly can.”

The Saluda County Sheriff’s Office encouraged residents to stay indoors.

“Everyone please stay safe and stay home if possible,” the department posted. “There are trees and power lines down county wide. Please only use 911 for emergencies. Keep those working in these conditions in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you to those working EMS, Fire, Law Enforcement and also those working on utilities. Stay safe!”

©2024 The State. Visit thestate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.