1 killed in Midlands apartment blaze

One person has died as a result of an early-morning apartment fire on Thursday at a quadplex.

Ricky Lee Hayes, 58, died from smoke inhalation, said Richland County Coroner Gary Watts. Hayes was initially rescued by Columbia firefighters and rushed to Palmetto Health Richland Memorial Hospital for treatment. But Hayes died at 6:05 a.m., on Thursday at the hospital, Watts said.

The fire that killed Hayes at 7251 Patricia Drive near the Capitol View neighborhood in Southeast Richland County was reported to the Columbia Fire Department around 5 a.m., said agency spokesman Capt. Brick Lewis.

The Richland County Fire Marshal’s Office ruled that the fire was accidental, after determining that it started at the kitchen stove, according to the agency. Investigators believe unattended cooking was the likely cause.

This story was originally published December 7, 2017 at 1:01 PM with the headline "1 killed in Midlands apartment blaze."