Man Dies In Rock Hill House Fire

Sammie Givens, 43, was found dead in his home on Cummings Street in Rock Hill.

Fire investigators said he'd left food cooking on the stove, and it caught the house on fire.

"At some time the stove was turned on and left unattended to, where it was able to ignite a pot that was on it. The fire spread through the kitchen from there," said Rock Hill Fire Capt. Rusty Myers.

The kitchen is in the rear of the brick home, and from behind you can see windows shattered by the intense heat and the charred rear door to the house.

Neighbor Lee Harvey said he thought the family was just grilling out when he saw smoke behind the home Wednesday night. Then he saw Givens' two stepsons outside and smoke filling the house.

Investigators said Givens' stepsons were in their bedrooms at the time of the fire and did not know Givens was home and had started cooking.

They were shocked when firefighters found him in a bathroom.

"I talked to the sons and I asked where Sammie was. They said he was at his uncle's house. I said, 'Thank God for that.' Then, a few minutes later, I saw them carry him out," Harvey said.

Myers said most house fires are started by either smoking or cooking, and cooking fires can spread very quickly if no one is watching them.

The fire gutted the house, doing about $55,000 in damage.

Harvey said Givens was a kind neighbor and even cut his grass Tuesday, just hours before he died.

"No matter what you wanted, he was right there for you, no matter what," he said.

The York County coroner has not released the official cause of death for Givens.

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