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The Townsend Volunteer Fire Department pulled eight people out of Little River over the weekend in the bend behind the Tennessee Great Smokies KOA campground.

"The problem is the hydraulics of the river," Townsend Police Chief Ronnie Suttles said Monday. "The force slams tubers into the rocks. There is nothing they can do because of the tremendous force of the river.

The spot is especially risky for young children who are not properly protected, according to Suttles.

"It's a bad place ... a dangerous situation. I don't know what you can do about it. I'm afraid somebody is going to get hurt bad. I worry about the little kids that don't have on a life jacket. That upper end (of the river) is dangerous."

While the river is full, Suttles said it is "not even close to flooding."

Townsend Volunteer Fire Department Chief Don Stallions said two of the people suffered "pretty serious injuries." The two women had head wounds.

"It's everybody's fear that somebody is going to get hurt bad. It's a bad spot. It's at that one rapid. Twenty percent of the people come off their tubes there," he said.

"It doesn't look that bad. The way the hydro is there, if you don't hit it just right you fall off your tube, and there's a rock there.

"If you stick to the left, usually you'll be fine. If you go to the center or right, you're going to be in trouble," Stallions warned.