CAMDEN, S.C. — Multiple fire departments from across the South Carolina Midlands responded late Saturday night to a massive fire at the abandoned DeRoyal Textile building in Camden, also known locally as the Hermitage Mill Plant.

The call came in at 10:54 p.m. for the building on York Street. By the time firefighters arrived, flames were already breaking through the roof. Camden Fire Chief Eddie Gardner said that crews immediately determined it was too dangerous to enter the building.

“[We] quickly realized that it was going to be a defensive attack and not an offensive attack, which means we were not going to put folks inside of the building,” he said.

The textile mill, built in the early 1900s, presented unique challenges due to its wooden floors and heavy timbers.

“It’s a structur

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