Crime & Public Safety
Early-morning apartment fire in Charleston displaces three residents
An early-morning fire at the Elro Apartments on Beauregard Street in Charleston left three residents displaced after flames and heavy smoke spread through portions of the building. The blaze was reported about 3:30 a.m.; Charleston fire crews encountered heavy smoke on arrival and found a working fire that had spread into wall voids and up toward the roof.
Firefighters worked through the structure to extinguish fire that investigators describe as complex, chasing hot spots throughout the building. The blaze caused heavy damage to four units; three of those units were occupied at the time. Smoke alarms in the occupied units alerted residents, and those individuals were able to evacuate without reported injury.
The Charleston Fire Department says crews conducted interior and exterior suppression and overhaul operations to ensure the fire was fully extinguished. The American Red Cross is assisting the three displaced residents with temporary housing and immediate needs.
Investigators continue to examine the scene. The department has said the cause remains under investigation but is currently leaning toward a possible electrical origin. No arrests or criminal charges have been announced, and no additional injuries were reported in official statements.
This incident remains an active fire investigation by the Charleston Fire Department; details about definitive cause or damage estimates were not released at the time of the department’s public statement.
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