Trial delayed in fire that sparked Horry County wildfire
News 13
Horry County Wildfire
Published: October 14, 2009
Updated: October 15, 2009
CONWAY, S.C. (AP) - A jury trial has been delayed for a Horry County man fined for the brush fire that rekindled into the most destructive wildfire in South Carolina history.
The trial for Marc Torchi (torch-ee) had been set for Thursday.
But Scott Hawkins of the state Forestry Commission says it’s now expected the week of Oct. 26.
Torchi requested the jury trial in Central Jury Court in Conway, a magistrate-level court.
Authorities say the April wildfire that destroyed 76 homes and damaged nearly 100 others started four days earlier as a debris fire in Torchi’s backyard.
Torchi could be fined $732 but says he’s been unfairly blamed.
He called Horry County firefighters when his fire got out of control and firefighters thought they had extinguished it.
Reader Reactions
$732 FINE? thats IT? Even if the firefighters HAD put it out the first time, he should have STILL kept an eye on it. Why did he think the middle of April, the month know for wind, was the best time to burn debris?
He says hes unfaily blamed? He started the fire. It doesn’t matter if the fire was little or huge. He was the one that made the decision to light something on fire, and the firefighters did their job. Most people know that fires are prone to rekindling in wind.
So does this man think, if he shot somebody, and they went to the hospital, and he lived for a day but then died, that he would still be unfaily blamed? Don’t pass your actions off and try to put the blame on someone else.
You are responsible for your actions, whether intentional or not. And you, as an adult, must be prepared to take on your consequences.
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