Flames and smoke engulfed a Dollar General store in West Knoxville, leading to a bustling emergency response Tuesday afternoon. The blaze, which sent a large plume of smoke into the sky, occurred at the location on 9129 Executive Park Drive, as reported by WVLT. The Knoxville Fire Department units were dispatched after 3 p.m. to the scene, where firefighters encountered heavy smoke billowing and flames licking at the ceiling upon arrival.
Working diligently, Knoxville Fire Department crews had the fire extinguished by 5:20 p.m., although a thorough clean-up effort ensued following the containment of the inferno. According to WVLT, the buildings housed in the strip mall adjacent to the Dollar General, which includes businesses like CM Games and Pho 99, were evacuated as a safety precaution and will remain closed until further notice. Thankfully, no injuries were reported from the incident.
Initial reports of smoke within the Dollar General were made by a store worker, who promptly alerted authorities around 3:09 p.m. The fire is believed to have originated in the back of the store and rapidly spread through the drop ceiling, escalating the situation. "The fire went up into the void space above the drop ceiling," Knoxville Fire Department said in a statement obtained by WBIR. Additional units were called to the scene as the situation warranted a second alarm, sending more trucks to assist and implement aerial operations to combat the fire from above the structure.
The Knoxville Fire Department's swift action included an inside attack to douse the flames below the roof, coupled with aerial efforts to extinguish the fire atop the establishment. Video footage captured by bystanders showed firetrucks with extended ladders dousing the building, as local patrons and employees poured from the strip mall, which houses an array of shops including the Empty Cup coffee shop. Power for the entire mall was shut down manually by the responding fire crews for safety. The aftermath of the blaze and the investigative operations that followed were covered by WATE, noting that the affected buildings would stay closed pending further assessment.
Investigations into the cause of the fire are now underway. Knoxville Fire Department has turned the scene over to fire investigators to determine what sparked the incident. Updates on the strip mall's reopening will be provided as new information becomes available.
