Disasters · Camper rescueBurton camper fire: Neighbor rescues man before emergency crews arriveWritten October 31, 2026 at 10:50 PM UTCWatchTranscript0:07A neighbor pulled a man from a burning camper before emergency crews arrived.0:10The man needed hospital treatment, and firefighters had to search for a possible0:14second person inside.0:16What do officials think started the fire?0:18And what explains the explosions neighbors heard?0:20Beauford County Dispatch received several emergency calls just after eight Saturday0:24morning, October thirty-first.0:25The camper was on Baynard Road in Burton, South Carolina.0:29Callers warned that residents might be trapped inside.0:31The calls also warned of nearby propane tanks.0:34Neighbors heard explosions as flames engulfed the camper.0:37By the time emergency crews reached it, the camper was almost fully burning, and a0:41neighbor had already pulled the adult man out.0:43The rescued man suffered potentially serious injuries.0:45Beaufort County EMS treated him and took him to Beaufort Memorial Hospital.0:49His rescue happened before firefighters arrived to extinguish the flames and0:53searched the camper.0:54Burton Fire District responded alongside Paris Island Fire and Emergency Services.0:58The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office and the Beaufort and Port Royal Fire Department1:01also joined the response, with County EMS caring for the injured resident.1:05Two people lived in the camper, so firefighters still had to check whether someone1:09else remained inside.1:10Burton firefighters entered and searched, but found nobody else.1:13The other residents' whereabouts haven't been made public.1:16Firefighters quickly put out the flames, and no other injuries were reported.1:19The severity of the man's injuries prompted investigators to call in Buzz, the1:23Ladies Island and Saint Helena Arson detection dog to assist.1:27Officials classified the fire as unintentional after the investigation, which1:31included Buzz's assistants.1:33They believed the resident was likely smoking while using home oxygen when the fire1:37started.1:37That specific ignition explanation remains preliminary.1:40Neighbors heard explosions, and officials believe the camper's air, conditioning1:44unit, and pressurized containers caused those sounds.1:47The early emergency calls had mentioned propane tanks nearby, but officials haven't1:51said those tanks exploded.1:52Burton Fire District's building fires have already displaced adults and children1:56this year.1:56The district's totals through October thirty first put the Baynard Road response2:00within a wider year of injuries and people losing their homes.2:03The district had responded to twenty-nine building fires in twenty twenty-six.2:06Across those fires, seventeen adults and seven children had been displaced, and2:11eight people had been injured.2:12Those figures cover the district's building fires for the year so far.2:15The man rescued on Baynard Road was hospitalized with potentially serious injuries.2:20His condition after reaching the hospital hasn't been made public.Read the articleStory timelineHeyDex
