Fire’s live wires: ‘close calls’
To save horses in a barn “50 to 70 yards” west of a historic barn along Concord Road that would eventually be gutted by intense flames, Rural/Metro Fire Department firefighters risked electrocution dodging downed power lines while enduring “heavy heat.”
With power lines running from the north side of the burning barn snapping due to a grass fire that also ignited a fence, “We had power lines down everywhere. … our guys were having to maneuver around all these live wires. … We had some close calls,” said William Kear, battalion chief for seven Rural/Metro Fire Department West stations, all on scene, including Farragut’s Campbell Station and Watt Road stations. “We were probably there 20 minutes before LCUB got them shut off. … That was really complicated and challenging for us.”
While the cause of this Wednesday afternoon, May 3, fire is still unknown at deadline while remaining under investigation, no human beings or animals were injured.
Firefighters, 22 in total, described the scene as “a heavy timber historic barn, large, with heavy fire involvement” upon arriving at 5:04 p.m., according to Kear.
The fire, which is said to have risen more than 30 feet above the barn’s highest roofing point, created thick black smoke that could be seen as far away as Sweetwater.
The radiant heat was so intense, “it cracked the windshield on a engine, and our guys were suffering from that radiant heat,” Kear said. “We were dealing with a lot of heavy heat. … During the initial fully involved phase we had our hands full.
“With the wind and the radiant heat alone from the fire, it was burning the grass and it was spreading pretty quick. … Before we stopped the grass fires it probably burned about 30 yards around the [burning barn’s] perimeter,” Kear added.
Had winds been a bit more intense that day, “We would have been in trouble,” Kear said.
As for what caused the fire, Dan Johnson, town of Farragut Fire Marshal who also is a fire official with RMFD, said it is “under investigation by Knox County Fire Investigation Unit in conjunction with Knox County Sheriff’s Office.
“If anybody did see anything early on in the fire, don’t hesitate to call us” at 865-966-7057, he added. “We have spoken to several witnesses that were there before the Fire Department arrived.
As for ownership, “We did speak with Jim Biddle about what happened and had a couple of questions, and he indicated he was the owner,” Johnson said.
“I think that structure has been somewhat of an icon in the area because it’s been here since the ’40s, but I don’t think it had it had specific designation,” Johnson added.
