ST. MATTHEWS -- Investigators blame an electrical short for Saturday's fire which claimed the life a popular public servant.

St. Matthews Fire Chief Wendy Heckle said Thursday an electrical receptacle in the kitchen area is the cause of a Chestnut Street house fire which claimed the life of Ivie Anderson, 33, and her daughter, Zenobea, 4.

"That's the point of origin, in the kitchen," Heckle said. "I don't know what was being used at that particular receptacle. We may never know."

The funeral service for the young mother and child will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15 at St. Mark's Baptist Church on Highway 267 near Lone Star.

Firefighters were notified of the blaze at 11:59 p.m. Saturday. They arrived to find the front of the home fully involved.

Although emergency personnel were on the scene within two minutes of being dispatched, a wall of flame prevented firefighters from making a head-on attack. Crews were forced to execute an exterior assault on the single-story dwelling.

A passerby attempted to enter the home before emergency crews arrived, but was unsuccessful. He was treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Autopsy results released earlier this week revealed the mother and daughter both suffered carbon monoxide poisoning and thermal burns.

Anderson was an emergency medical technician employed with the Orangeburg County EMS at the time of the tragic blaze.

Orangeburg County Emergency Medical Services director Danny Rivers said Anderson's EMS call number will be retired at the memorial service.

In addition, Anderson's mother will be presented with a plaque matching one which will be placed in the EMS facility.

"We're going to have an honor guard from EMS at the funeral," Rivers said. "We've never had a person pass away like this. She was a special person, and we wanted to do something to commemorate her."

T&D Staff Writer Richard Walker can be reached by e-mail at rwalker@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5516.

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