St. Helena man suffers severe burns in morning blaze that destroys home

A St. Helena Island man was in serious condition at a Georgia burn unit after a space heater sparked a blaze that destroyed his home.

Terry Ray Golden Sr., of 10 Boggy Lane, which is in the Eddings Point Road area of St. Helena, sustained second- and third-degree burns to his hands and back during the Tuesday morning fire, according to authorities and family.

Lady's Island/ St. Helena Fire District crews responded to a structure fire on Eddings Point Road at about 6 a.m.

The first firefighters on scene found a fully involved structure fire and Golden, who had been severely burned.

Golden told firefighters that he ran through the fire to make sure his family had gotten out safely, according to a release from the fire district.

He was taken to Beaufort Memorial Hospital by Beaufort County EMS and then transferred to Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, Ga.

He was listed in serious condition as of Tuesday afternoon.

Golden works as a crabber and shrimper with Leisha Seafood, a small seafood outfit named after his wife.

Authorities believe the fire was started by an electric space heater.

Golden's daughter, Heather Golden, said her brother, Terry Ray Golden Jr., was the first to wake up and yelled at everyone in the home to get out.

Golden Sr. went back in the home because he didn’t know his son had already gotten out, Heather Golden said.

"We've lost pretty much everything," she said just hours after the blaze. "We'll have to start from scratch."

Authorities were on scene for more than three hours with more than 30 firefighters.

Lee Levesque, spokesman for the fire district, said people have to take precautions when using space heaters.

"It is imperative that the public be aware of potential hazards associated with portable heaters," he said.

Levesque said people should remember to keep a clearance of 3 feet between heaters and any flammable material, including carpets, blankets and drapes.

Heaters should be checked before every use, and they never should be left unattended.