The homes of Sen. Ernest Hollings and stock car racer Kyle Petty were among those destroyed

August 14, 1999
Web posted at: 12:21 p.m. EDT (1621 GMT)

ISLE OF PALMS, South Carolina (CNN) -- Fire officials are investigating the cause of a blaze that destroyed at least four oceanfront homes, including those of U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings and race car driver Kyle Petty.

Investigators consider arson a possible cause of the blaze, said Ann Graham, chief of the fire department in Isle of Palms, an upscale beach community. Graham added that arson is routinely considered in any fires that spread quickly.

"We have not discussed that one way or another, but it is under investigation," she said.

Graham said no residents or firemen were injured.

The fire department first received a call to one beachfront house at 8:23 p.m. EDT Friday. Officials said winds swept embers of the blaze to other homes, quickly sparking other fires.

Once firemen arrived to fight the first blaze, it quickly spread to Petty's home next door, and then jumped the street to Hollings'.

"Within moments of arrival, the second house ignited," Graham said. "We almost lost one of our trucks in this. Then another house almost caught instantaneously. The wind was just blowing too steadily, and it just consumed these houses."

"The National Weather Service said the winds were at 10 knots (12 mph), but it seemed more than that," said Graham.

At least four homes were destroyed, and six were damaged "from embers that blew on them," Graham said.

Hollings, D-South Carolina, and his wife Peatsy were in their home at the time of the blaze. Both got out safely.

Petty, son of stock car driving legend Richard Petty, was in Watkins Glen, New York, where he was qualifying for NASCAR's Frontier at the Glen Winston Cup race.

More than 100 firefighters from 10 other fire departments assisted in fighting the fires, Graham said.

"If it wasn't for them, who knows what would have happened," she said.

Officials had no monetary damage estimate Saturday morning.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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