Tuesday, Dec. 09, 2008

Conway woman killed in house fire

MYRTLE BEACH -- A woman died Monday in a fire at her Conway home after alerting emergency officials through a personal alert device.

Shirley Gardner, 69, of Conway, died of smoke inhalation after fire broke out in her home on Clay Ridge Road off of S.C. 90, said Horry County Deputy Coroner Chris Burroughs.

Fire heavily damaged one end of the home, where the living room probably was, said Todd Cartner, Horry County Fire Rescue's public information officer.

Firefighters found Gardner in the living room on the sofa, Burroughs said.

Fire authorities did not have a cause of the fire Monday afternoon.

Gardner is the second person killed in a fire in Horry County since Saturday, when Clarence Edward Wike Jr., 53, who was homeless, died in the woods where he had been camping off U.S. 501 in Conway.

Horry County Coroner Robert Edge said six people died last year in fires in the county.

Before she died, Gardner, who lived by herself, alerted authorities to the fire through a Life Alert tag that she wore, Cartner said.

A neighbor of Gardner's listed with Life Alert also was notified about the fire and tried to get Gardner out of the house.

"I came straight across to get in the house," said Barbara Lewis, who lives a street over on Rosella Lane. "I unlocked the door, but there was too much smoke already."

Fire officials received a call at 3:40 p.m. Monday about the fire, Cartner said.

He said the Conway Fire Department assisted the Horry County department in the incident.

"She was just a friendly neighbor," said Lewis, who knew Gardner for at least 20 years.

Lewis and other neighbors said Gardner, who had health care workers come into her home a couple of hours a day, had some disabilities.

"She loved to be outside," said Rose Lewis, who also lives on Rosella Lane. "But her ankle broke, which is why she couldn't get out much."

Lisa Lewis, Rose Lewis' mom, who knew Gardner for about 20 years, said she was a "sweet, honest woman."

-- The (Myrtle Beach) Sun News

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