Prominent Waccamaw man and two service dogs die in house fire
LAKE WACCAMAW, NC (WWAY)- The man who died in Saturday’s house fire on Canal Cove Road has been identified as a prominent man in the Lake Waccamaw community.
A somber announcement from Deputy Fire Marshall Chase Lancaster with Columbus County Emergency Services hours after the tragedy
“In fact it is true he did lose his life this morning, unfortunately,” he said.
At about 12:30 Saturday morning a Lake Waccamaw police officer on patrol came across a house fire and called dispatch for backup.
“There was probably an access of thirty,” Lancaster said. “A heavy presence.”
Logan Hooks lives on Canal Cove Road a few houses down from where the fire happened.
“I think we counted 25 to 30, with flashing lights, just coming one after another, heading down here,” said Hooks. “We knew something bad had happened.”
Both Lake Waccamaw Police and EMS tried to enter the home but were turned away by flames and heat.
“They did get in and knocked the fire down but by the time they got back out the fire continued to grow again,” he said.
More crews flooded the scene shortly after.
“There fire department quickly arrived and finished extinguishing the fire, they located the body,” he said.
The homeowners told WWAY they received a text message early Saturday morning but didn’t read it until hours later, then found out what happened at the home rented to Ricky Creech – the President of The Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina.
There were smoke detectors in the kitchen and in the bedroom, according to Beverly and Calvin Turner.
They added, the smoke detectors were very sensitive, and went off anytime a hint of smoke polluted the air.
“I was a bit surprised the smoke alarm didn’t wake him,” said Beverly. “The detector went off when I burned bacon.”
What also left the Turners perplexed was the fact the two service dogs weren’t able to alert Creech.
“Surprising too that he had two dogs in there,” said Calvin. “Neither one of them was able to wake him up.”
The fire started in the kitchen, then ravaged the entire home, according to the Turners.
“It’s pretty bad in there, and I really hate it for the family, he’s done a lot (for the Boys and Girls Home), he was a really good man and it’s a sad situation,” said Calvin. “It’s just one of those things, you never know.”
“We do want to send out our condolences on behalf of the Columbus County Emergency Services, to the family and the Boys and Girls Home,” said Lancaster.
The fire appears to be an accident, and local police and the fire marshal’s office are getting help from the State Bureau of Investigation to find the exact cause, according to Lancaster.
Creech’s two dogs also lost their lives in the fire.
The Executive Committee of The Boys and Girls Homes Board of Trustees named Chief Mission Officer Ray Cockrell as temporary acting president and CEO following the unexpected death of their president Ricky Creech, who leaves behind a wife and three children.
The cause of death is pending an autopsy.
