NORTH MYRTLE BEACH – Investigators in North Myrtle Beach are trying to figure out what sparked a blaze at the Barbeque House Restaurant in North Myrtle Beach late Wednesday night.

HARDEEVILLE – Fire investigators are still looking into a suspicious fire that took out several businesses and a church at a shopping center off of US Highway 17 in Hardeeville.

COLUMBIA – "He was Fargo and he was one of us," says Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott. For five years, he was part of the Richland County Sheriff's Department's K-9 unit. He joined them in 2006 at just nine months old. (more…)

Do you want you department to be added to the 2012 SConFire.com Calendar?! If you would like any photos to be considered for the calendar, please for them to us at southcarolinaonfire@gmail.com for possible publication. We will be creating the final product this week and it will be up for sale next week. Please send any photos in HI-RES format for review!

NOTE: THESE CHANGES DO INCLUDE THE PORS / POLICE OFFICER RETIREMENT SYSTEM!!

COLUMBIA – State employees would pay more into the S.C. retirement system but get less when they retired, according to a plan approved Monday by a House subcommittee. The changes would affect all state employees, teachers, local government workers, police officers and firefighters who have been on the job for less than 23 years. Anyone who has worked for more than 23 years would not be affected by the proposed changes. (more…)

CHARLESTON – Firefighters thought the wooden house was empty as they battled aggressive flames that pulled it to the ground early Monday morning. Only after extinguishing the blaze at 55 Poinsett St. on peninsular Charleston did they find a body on the second floor. (more…)

FLORENCE – The Florence Fire Department was dispatched to two separate working structure fires within eight minutes of each other. At 9:19 a.m., Stations 1, 2, 4 and 1 Command Staff vehicle responded to the 800 Block of N. Dargan St. for a structure fire. When they arrived the crews noted heavy smoke and flame coming from the rear of the building. (more…)

JOHNS ISLAND – The St. Johns Fire Department was alerted Monday to a phone scam. The caller stated they were calling on behalf of the St. Johns Fire Department, collecting for the St. Johns Fire Department Children's Burn Unit.

The caller requests information including a credit card number.

The St. Johns Fire District does not solicit donations for any charity over the phone nor do we accept credit card numbers.

The St. Johns Fire District actively supports the Carolina Children's Charity and the Muscular Dystrophy Association through a sanctioned collection process which is well advertised. We also support Toys for Tots by acting as collection stations for area citizens.

We urge all citizens to use caution during this holiday season when donating to charities.

Only donate if know what charity you are donating, or take the donation to the charity's authorized donation site

DILLON – NewsChannel 15 has learned that Dillon firefighter Ed Edwards continues to show signs of improvement. Edwards suffered a heart attack while battling a fire at the Player's Nightclub in Dillon last Friday morning. (more…)