Two children, aged 1 and 16, died in a mobile home fire in Jasper County’s Midway Mobile Home Park on January 16, 2026, around 5 a.m., marking the county’s first fatal house fire of the year. Three other occupants sustained life-threatening injuries, with one transported to the Medical University of South Carolina Burn Center in Charleston. The incident prompted a multi-agency response, including Jasper County Fire Rescue, Hardeeville Fire Department, Bluffton Township Fire District, and Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, while the cause is under investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, State Fire Marshal’s Office, and Jasper County Fire Marshal’s Office.
Incident Details
The fire engulfed a single-family residential structure in the Okatie area, as confirmed by Coroner Jeremiah Vaigneur and Fire Rescue Chief Russell Wells. No identities were released for the children due to their ages, and updates on the injured survivors’ conditions were unavailable by January 17. This tragedy follows no fatal house fires in Jasper County last year, with the prior incident occurring on December 6, 2024, in Gillisonville, still under investigation.
Agency Response
Multiple fire departments and law enforcement collaborated swiftly to combat the blaze and provide aid. Chief Wells expressed gratitude for the inter-agency support, noting their critical role in managing the scene. Investigation results will be released later by the leading state and local fire authorities.
