Chester County SC man found dead in house fire near I-77, officials say
A South Carolina man was found dead in a house fire in Chester County, officials said.
Charles Gist, 69, of Richburg, was found dead in the home after the fire on Green Drive in Richburg, said Terry Tinker, Chester County coroner.
An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday, Tinker said.
The fire was in a residential area of Richburg near Interstate 77, about 15 miles south of Rock Hill. First responders were dispatched around 10 p.m. Saturday night
Gist was believed to be the only person in the home at the time of the fire, said Barkley Ramsey, Chester County fire marshal. No other people were hurt, Ramsey said.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined but it is not believed to be suspicious, Ramsey said.
Firefighters, Chester County Sheriff’s Office deputies, and fire investigators remained at the scene through Sunday afternoon. The State Law Enforcement Division is also investigating because there was a fatality, Ramsey said. South Carolina law requires SLED to be involved in any fire death.
Firefighters battled the fire for hours, and two other nearby structures were damaged from the heat and flames, Richburg Fire-Rescue officials said.
This story was originally published April 17, 2022 at 12:29 PM.
