Four Fires in Bluffton Started by Lowcountry Fireman

Instead of doing his job to put out flames, a Lowcountry firefighter is charged with starting four recent fires in Bluffton.  All of those fires happened at Palmetto Bluff.  That development sits right off of South Carolina 46 in Bluffton.  The most recent happened on Saturday at a mansion under construction.  News 3 was there as firefighters worked through the night to put the flames out.  Police say 21-year old Bryan Yeager was the first person to respond.  He was on duty at Palmetto Bluff as a part time security officer.  Yeager now faces arson charges.

Lowcountry Reporter Holly Bounds was at the scene Saturday night where those standing around seemed very puzzled?  The Director of Security at Palmetto Bluff said he just couldn't figure out how the empty home could have caught fire.  It was so suspicious that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the Bluffton Police Department started a full investigation.  That led to a feeling a shock among firefighters in the Lowcountry.

Each time they clock in, they put their lives on the line.  And with almost every call they know someone is losing prized possessions.  That's why it's so shocking that a man who knows what it's all about chose to bring that risk upon Bluffton firefighters and that pain on another homeowner.

"No one's been hurt and that's what I'm happy for,” Sgt. Bryan Norberg with the Bluffton Police Department said.  “It is a disturbing issue one why someone would do that… what are the motives behind that? That's something we might find out later."

Authorities believe this is the fourth Palmetto Bluff fire that 21-year-old Bryan Yeager started while working as a security officer there.  In fact, investigators say he could be spotted somewhere in WSAV NEWS 3’s video looking on.  The acts now have his own fire district of two years, along with others who have a mission of saving lives and property, hoping one man's destruction won't tear down the trust of the community.

"The firemen in Bluffton, Burton, Saint Helena, and all around are excellent firemen.  I have the utmost confidence in what they do and you can't judge one person's actions in all of them,” Norberg said.

Bryan Yeager is now on Administrative Suspension without pay.  His fire district released a statement Thursday saying how surprised and disappointed they were with the news.  They added that all their employees go through extensive background checks and drug screenings before they're hired.