Development Fire
John Edwards March 29th, 2008
Below is one example of why “mega” developments should be banned from building in areas where there are no public water system. The developer followed the existing Sevier County rules for PUD developments and was able to place the buildings too close for safety. The fire started in one structure and quickly spread to the others. The rentals were not occupied when the fire started. Firefighters used water from the swimming pool and nearby water tanks. Guests had rented one of the nearby structures and moved when the fire started.
Two cabins were completely destroyed and two more were damaged. Of the two damaged cabins, one of them is most likely a total loss, as the logs are charred and there is severe smoke damage inside. It took The following firefighting companies to contain the blaze:Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and the Sevier County Volunteer Fire Department.
The blaze could be seen for miles.
All that is left are the foundations.
This structure will probably be torn down.
The heat was so intense that the windows and blinds melted.
These are intense images. I imagine that if there was high wind speeds, which is not unusual here, that many more cabins would have been destroyed. Also, there may not have been enough water to stop the fires, since they had to resort to using water from a swimming pool to douse out these flames.