Community rallies behind Moncks Corner family after their home was destroyed by fire

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. (WCBD) – The community is rallying behind a Moncks Corner family who has endured loss over the past several months.

The family was impacted by a fire that destroyed their Old Whitesville Road home last week. But the homeowner, Allison Benton, said the fire isn’t the worst thing she’s had to deal with recently.

“I grew up in Moncks Corner. This was my childhood home,” she said. “Been here my whole life.”

Benton said she first noticed fire in a two-story workshop next to her home on the night of March 26. She said they were getting ready for bed when she realized the building was on fire.

“I told my husband, I said get the kids and the dogs, and my mother-in-law. We all got out of the house and got the animals out, and he was in the process of getting all our vehicles moved. He didn’t have time to get his camper or anything else, but we did get out okay, the dogs and our family,” she said.

Firefighters did rescue two of her dogs during the fire.

But the worst thing to happen to Benton and her family was on Christmas Eve last year.

“Two of my kids got killed on Christmas Eve,” she recalled. “They were going hunting. It was my husband and Liam in one car and my other two kids, Anthony and Eli, in another. They were on the way to Kingstree where they hunt. A lady crossed over, and they hit head on.”

Benton said her oldest son died on impact, and one of her younger sons died at the Medical University of South Carolina.

She said the last six years have been hard on the family. “My brother passed away, then 11 months later my mom, and then two years ago on the 12th of March was my dad,” she said.

The community has rallied around Benton and her family, including contributing to a GoFundMe to help them. She has two other sons still at home and a grown daughter.

“It’s a blessing. I’m very thankful. I couldn’t have done it without him,” she said. “They’ve helped me tremendously both times.”

Benton said she takes it one day at a time. “I mean, I have two other little boys, and you gotta keep pushing for them,” she said.