Official: Fire caused by linseed oil; Southern Propane still operating

A Saturday night fire at Southern Propane on John C. Calhoun Drive was caused by the improper disposal of boiled linseed oil, according to an Orangeburg Department of Public Safety official.

The department responded to the building at 8:20 p.m. after receiving a call from someone who saw smoke, Fire Marshal Inspector Jonathan Winningham said.

Firefighters “reported heavy smoke conditions throughout the building and high heat conditions,” Winningham said. “They forced the front door for ventilation and forced entry on the rear door that goes into the stock room.”

“Guys were able to get a quick knock down of the fire and pushed further into the stock room and did a complete overhaul of the area,” Winningham continued.

After interviewing employees, ODPS determined that an employee was treating a wooden table with boiled linseed oil and did not properly dispose of the oil prior to leaving work, he said.

The stock room was unoccupied and no one was injured during the fire.

When ODPS received the call about a fire at the propane business, firefighters “approached it with all due caution,” Winningham said. He said ODPS firefighters have the training required to handle various fire scenes and scenarios.

“They don’t store (propane) tanks in the building, though they do have propane piped into the building for displays and they do repairs in the back stock room,” Winningham said. “They have propane piped in the stock room as they are doing repairs.”

“Even though the building does not have propane storage, there is always the possibility that something else is in the building that is not supposed to be there,” Winningham said.

Winningham said when firefighters arrive on a scene, they size up the situation and investigate all utilities and exposures. All the propane lines were identified and gas tanks were shut off at their source.

Some gas lines were burnt through, but crews were able to prevent any explosions, he said.

Winningham estimates the fire was burning for about 20 minutes. Crews were at the scene until 1 a.m.

The State Fire Marshal Office helped with the investigation.

As a result of the fire, the physical store in Orangeburg is temporarily closed. A temporary office will be set up at the site in the coming days, according to the business.

Southern Propane customers in Orangeburg can still receive services as normal by calling 803-535-0650.