Woman who died in Columbia fire called in previous arson at complex

The 80-year-old woman killed in an apartment fire Sunday had reported a recent fire at the complex that investigators determined was intentionally set, according to the Columbia Fire Department.

Her death comes amid a spate of small arsons in the surrounding downtown Columbia neighborhoods.

True Dent Henderson, 80, died of smoke inhalation in the Sunday night blaze at Plantation Court Apartments on South Saluda Avenue in the Hollywood-Rose Hill neighborhood, officials have said.

Investigators are still trying to determine what caused this latest fire, which destroyed one of five buildings in the complex.

The Columbia Fire Department responded to at least one fire at the apartment complex in recent months, according to George Adams, the city’s fire marshal. Investigators determined that fire was intentionally set. Additional details about that fire weren’t immediately available Monday.

“I was told that she called it in,” Adams said, referring to Henderson. He added that the fire was not in Henderson’s building but in another part of the complex.

Residents said Monday that there were two small fires at the complex in November and December that were started on the porch areas of two buildings.

This isn’t the first time fires have been intentionally set near that neighborhood.

In December, Police Chief Aubrey Jenkins called on the public to step forward with any possible information related to four fires that were intentionally set within less than a mile from each other in November and December.

All of those fires happened after dark and started with an item being set on fire at the doorstep of the houses. Two of those fires, at 412 S. Saluda Ave., were set less than a half-mile from the one that killed Henderson on Sunday.

Crews still were investigating at the South Saluda complex Monday afternoon.

“We think we have a pretty good idea how it started,” Adams said. “Before we rule everything out, I want to make sure.”

Adams said a Columbia police detective has been assigned to the case; however, Chief Skip Holbrook said the Columbia Police Department has not been requested to assist in the investigation. The State Law Enforcement Division has not been requested to investigate either, a SLED spokesman said.

The blaze was called in around 11:15 p.m., officials said. Firefighters saw heavy smoke and fire when they arrived at the complex, which is on the 200 block of South Saluda Avenue off South Harden Street and Rosewood Drive.

Henderson was found in one of the units shortly after crews began fighting the blaze, Capt. Brick Lewis said. There were four units in the two-story building, which Lewis said is a total loss.

Several residents who live in the complex said Henderson lived in a first-floor unit. Five people were displaced by the fire, Lewis said.

Several hours after the fire, a resident at the complex reported that the tires on three vehicles were slashed, according to a report from the Columbia Police Department. Police say two vehicles had all four tires slashed, and the two passenger side tires were slashed on a third vehicle.

The resident who reported the damage said he and the other occupants were outside by their cars earlier during the fire, “and the vehicles did not appear to be damaged at that time,” the report states.

It was unclear Monday if or how the damage to the vehicles was related to the fire.

Check back for updates.

This story was originally published January 30, 2017 at 5:52 PM with the headline "Woman who died in Columbia fire called in previous arson at complex."