As South Carolina mourns the tragic loss of seven college students after a fire early Sunday morning in Ocean Isle Beach, N.C., state and local leaders offered words of support.

Governor Mark Sanford released a statement Monday, saying, “the deaths of these students are an incredible loss, made all the more tragic by the fact that they died at such a young age when they had their entire lives ahead of them.”

“Their families, as well as their extended families at USC and Clemson, will be in Jenny, the four boys, and my thoughts and prayers in the coming weeks and months as they make their way through the difficult times ahead,” Sanford said. “I’d ask that every South Carolinian keep them in their thoughts and prayers as well, and to pray for the speedy recovery of those injured in the fire.”

Clemson University President James Barker says the school family is mourning the loss of one of its students.

Barker issued a statement Monday saying he also is reaching out to the University of South Carolina, which lost six students in the fire at Ocean Isle Beach.

Barker says he feels the deepest sympathy for the families of the seven students. [...]

USC President Andew Sorensen was in Washington DC Sunday for a conference. He returned to Columbia as soon as he heard the news of the fire.

Sorensen gave a press conference Sunday afternoon, and Dean of Students Dennis Pruitt spoke on Monday. Pruitt announced a vigil to be held at the Russell House Ballroom at 6:00pm Monday.

SAE and Delta Delta Delta presidents Jay Laura and Lauren Hodge also made statements, thanking the public for their support and expressing condolences to those affected by the tragedy.

Hodge says her organization is doing everything it can for members and that phone calls of sympathy have been flooding in.

Laura says his thoughts are dominated by grief, but that he believes those who died are now in a better place. [AP]

And President Clinton, speaking in Spartanburg on behalf of his wife, said his thoughts are with the families and the people of South Carolina.

The former president spoke to students at the University of South Carolina Upstate. The school is a satellite campus of the university based in Columbia.

Clinton called the fire terrible and says that his heart is with the people of this state. [AP]

We would also like extend our thoughts and prayers to the families and friends of those lost as we all mourn on this very somber Monday.

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Photo: NY Times