Neighbors worry about resident's safety

Tyrone Walker
The Post and Courier

North Charleston firefighters put out a fire Saturday at a house on Stonehaven Drive in North Charleston. No one was home at the time of the fire, which gutted the house, firefighters said.

Residents in the Pepperhill subdivision off Ashley Phosphate Road got a scare Saturday afternoon when they thought one of their elderly neighbors was trapped in his burning house.

They rushed inside, only to be beaten back by thick, black smoke.

They were relieved to learn that Edward Grant was not at home when the blaze began about 4:40 p.m.

Derrell Lyde said he and his family were driving by Grant's home on Stonehaven Drive when they saw smoke behind the house. They thought it was debris burning in the yard but got out, just to make sure. Around back, they discovered that the house was on fire and spotted a fire extinguisher on the back porch.

They found the front door wide open and were concerned that Grant was inside battling the blaze. They called out to him but got no answer, so Lyde and his 16-year-old son, Tre Cartwright, dashed inside to find Grant. Thick smoke quickly forced them back outside.

"You couldn't get too far," Lyde said. "The smoke was coming out too heavy."

Elmore Goodwin was at the house a few minutes earlier, trimming shrubbery in the yard.

While he was working, Grant left the house to go visit his wife, Louise Grant, who was temporarily staying at a nearby nursing home for rehabilitation, Goodwin said. Soon after, Goodwin heard what sounded like an explosion in the house, followed by heavy black smoke and flames. He said he called 911 and then headed to the nursing home to tell the Grants what was happening.

Everyone was gone when Lyde and his family had driven up to the house and seen smoke.

They were relieved when the fire was out, and they watched Edward Grant arriving back home.

Firefighters had the blaze under control in about 15 minutes, said Bianca Sancic, a public information officer for North Charleston Fire Department. She said no one was injured but that the back of the house was damaged heavily.

Authorities late Saturday determined the origin of the fire was electrical. Edward Grant said he would stay with his son overnight.

Lyde is just glad the friendly, older man was safe. He said Edward Grant frequently sits in his front yard under the shade of a tree and that neighbors like to stop by and visit with him.