Playing With Fire?

The wife of a Myrtle Beach man accused of starting South Carolina’s worst fire in three decades says he is a scapegoat – and that the Myrtle Beach Fire Department is to blame for failing to fully extinguish a backyard blaze on his property.

According to The (M.B.) Sun News, Myrtle Beach resident Mark Torchi was burning pine cones in his back yard on April 18 – a week ago – when he lost control of the small fire.

A neighbor called 911 and the Fire Department responded, putting the fire out and coming back later to make sure it had stayed out.

From TSN:

Neighbor Larry Aldrich said he called 911 and said Horry County Fire Rescue came to put it out.

The fire department returned to the home that evening to see if it had rekindled, Torchi said.

“I ran my sprinkler for two or three hours afterward,” he said.

On Wednesday, the fire apparently reignited, triggering the massive wildfire.

Horry County firefighters acknowledge going to Torchi’s home, but Todd Cartner, spokesman for the department, said crews responded twice. On the first trip they were told by the homeowner that the fire was under control, he said.

“The homeowner calls again, says he has it under control and we don’t need to come,” Cartner said. “Per our policies, we canceled all responding units except one.”

“Roughly an hour later, we get a second call. We physically extinguish the fire.” He said firefighters were at the home about an hour the second time. “It is unlikely that a fire of this size on Saturday would have smoldered until and rekindled on Wednesday without neighbors calling … and saying there’s quite a bit of smoke, or reporting it in some way,” Cartner said.

Unlikely, but possible.

Authorities say this yard fire somehow smoldered for four days until reigniting late Wednesday afternoon – erupting into the inferno that has consumed over 20,000 acres and 100 homes.

Preliminary damage estimates range from between $8 and $10 million, while firefighters say that the blaze is now 80% contained.