Flames once again engulfed the Fort Loudon Waste and Recycling facility in North Knoxville, where firefighters worked tirelessly late yesterday and into the early hours of today to subdue a ravaging blaze. According to WVLT News, the fire broke out at the recycling plant, which was also the locus of a significant fire in 2019 that forced more than 100 residents to evacuate the Oakwood-Lincoln Park neighborhood.
Despite the historical echo, the Knoxville Fire Department (KFD) responded with robust expertise. As KFD spokesperson Mark Wilbanks detailed, as per WATE, firefighters arrived to find the 10,500-square-foot metal warehouse "heavily involved in fire." To combat the inferno, they established three master streams, called two additional companies for support, and deployed a rehab bus for firefighter wellbeing due to the extended duration of firefighting efforts.
Concern for potential toxic exposures from the fire’s emissions prompted additional precautionary measures. "Our hazmat crews are coming out to make sure we’re safe doing that", Wilbanks informed WVLT News. In line with these concerns, the KFD incident commander called a hazardous materials company to the site for air quality monitoring, as noted in an update from WVLT News. No hazardous substances were detected in the surrounding air.
Moving past the immediate danger, the task of uncovering the fire's origins looms. The bulk of the fire was declared extinguished, yet hot spots within the structure remained a concern. Fire investigators remained on scene, piecing together traces that might reveal how the fire started. Knoxville fire investigators urge anyone with information to come forward, offering anonymized tips through the KFD and State Arson Hotlines, as per WBIR.
