Large fire near railroad tracks extinguished after several hours

HUGER, S.C. (WCBD) – Crews worked through the night Sunday to extinguish a large outside fire, according to the Cainhoy Fire Department.  

Firefighters responded to the scene around 10:30 p.m. by the railroad crossing on Charity Church Road in Huger. The department said that heavy fire was visible springing from a laydown yard full of thousands of railroad ties.

No injuries were reported from the fire, and its cause remains under investigation.

The railroad ties were covered in creosote, which helps protect them from decay and pests but is highly flammable. “Additionally, the location was difficult to access with fire apparatus, the amount of water used taxed local water supplies, and heavy equipment was needed to pull apart the piles,” the department explained.

Crews worked through the night and into much of Monday before the fire was contained.

East Berkeley Fire, North Berkeley Fire, City of Charleston Fire, Mount Pleasant Fire, Hanahan Fire, Moncks Corner Rural Fire, C&B Fire, Central Berkeley Fire, Goose Creek Rural Fire, Pine Ridge Fire, Awendaw Fire, Berkeley County EMS, Berkeley County Emergency Management, SC Forestry, Charleston County Rescue, Berkeley County Sheriff’s, SC Law Enforcement Division, Berkeley County Roads & Bridges, and Palmetto Railroad all assisted Cainhoy in response efforts.