Busy day for Saluda Fire & Rescue: A house fire, brush fires and a rescue

Dean Hensley, Hendersonville Times-News
·2 min read

POLK COUNTY - Unusually high winds on April 1 made for a busy day for the firefighters at Saluda Fire & Rescue, as they contained brush fires, had a wilderness rescue and ended the day by assisting the Columbus Fire Department with a house fire on White Oak Mountain Road.

No one was injured in the house fire, but two Columbus Fire Department firefighters were taken to hospitals after Polk County EMS determined they had suffered first-degree burns, according to a Facebook post by Captain Dylan Priester of Columbus Fire Department.

A Saluda Fire & Rescue firefighter works to contain a brush fire in Saluda on April 1.
A Saluda Fire & Rescue firefighter works to contain a brush fire in Saluda on April 1.

Priester posted that the high winds made the fire more difficult to control.

"While advancing the hoseline up the stairs to the seat of the fire, conditions drastically changed inside the structure. This was believed to be caused by the extremely high wind gusts in our district," Priester said in the post. "In the blink of an eye, the fire grew tremendously, creating a torch-like effect coming down the stairwell, forcing an Engine 22 officer and firefighter to retreat out of the structure."

The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Polk Fire Marshal's Office, Columbus Fire Chief Tony Priester told the Times-News on April 3.

"The outcome could've been much worse if it were not for the quick response from highly-trained personnel," Tony Priester said. "It was a collaborative operation... even Asheville sent some down. Any time you hear a 'mayday,' it means fireman down, whether it's minor or large, the brotherhood comes together."

Chief Priester said both firemen are back at their homes resting.

Saluda Fire & Rescue firefighters work to contain a house fire on April 1 in Columbus.
Saluda Fire & Rescue firefighters work to contain a house fire on April 1 in Columbus.

Chief Priester said several agencies assisted in fighting the fire, including Saluda Fire & Rescue. Other agencies assisting were the fire departments of Tryon, Mill Spring, Green Creek, Sunny View, Gowensville, Landrum (S.C.), Holly Springs, Lake Cunningham, Bills Creek, Lake Lure and Asheville, the Polk County Fire Marshal, Polk County Emergency Management, Polk County EMS, Polk County Rescue Squad, NC Department of Transportation, Polk County Sheriff's Office, American Red Cross and also 1-800-BOARDUP.

At 11:34 p.m. April 1, Saluda Fire & Rescue Deputy Chief Zach Pace made this post on Saluda Fire & Rescue's Facebook page: "Busy day today at the 23 house! We responded to several brush fires, a wilderness rescue, structure fire in Station 22’s first due, and several other calls."

Pace told the Times-News on April 3 that the wilderness rescue was due to a hiker who was hiking to Big Bradley Falls.

Saluda Fire & Rescue firefighters carry a hiker from the Big Bradley Falls area after the hiker injured his leg in a fall on April 1.
Saluda Fire & Rescue firefighters carry a hiker from the Big Bradley Falls area after the hiker injured his leg in a fall on April 1.

"He was about one mile in when he injured his leg, requiring a carry out," Pace said.

Saturday's high winds caused more than 3,000 power outages in Henderson County, according to Henderson County Chief Communications Officer Mike Morgan. Just before 10 a.m. on April 3, Duke Energy reported that all of its customers in Henderson County had power restored.

Dean Hensley is the news editor for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him with tips, questions and comments at DHensley@gannett.com. Please help support this kind of local journalism with a subscription to the Hendersonville Times-News.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Saluda Fire & Rescue's windy day included house fire, brush fires and wilderness rescue