Firefighters knock down blaze in Jackson Hills

By Jessica Stith
of The Daily Times Staff

Blount County firefighters spent a couple of hours fighting a house fire that ignited on Luther Jackson Drive on Wednesday afternoon.

Mamie L. Purkey, 219 Luther Jackson Drive, Maryville, said she didn't even realize her house was on fire, until a neighbor knocked her door and told her.

Thirteen Blount County firefighters were on the scene with eight trucks within two minutes of the call at 12:40 p.m. and had the fire under control in 23 minutes.

Upon arrival, Blount County Fire Chief Doug McClanahan said they saw the roof on fire and called for backup from Alcoa and Maryville firefighters.

Although Blount County firefighters were able to cancel the backup, some of the city firefighters still showed up and helped.

McClanahan said Purkey didn't realize there was a fire right away because "there wasn't a bit of smoke in that house." He said the fire was mostly in the attic and roof of the house.

He said Blount County Sheriff's deputies moved two vehicles that were in Purkey's garage, and firefighters pulled the ceiling down to get to the fire that was "all over the attic." Although the water caused the ceilings to fall inside of the house, McClanahan said firefighters had previously covered the furniture in the house with tarps.

Purkey said her neighbors told her on Tuesday night that they saw a "streak" of fire coming from her house, but they couldn't determine what it was. On Wednesday morning, she heard a humming noise and called the electric department.

McClanahan said the cause of the fire had not been determined and was under investigation by the Blount County Sheriff's Office.