Tragedy struck Sevier County Monday morning when a fire claimed the lives of two children in the South Flat Creek Road area, the fire broke out around 9:29 a.m. leading to a robust response from local emergency services. In a heartfelt response, county officials said, "The thoughts and prayers of Sevier County officials and emergency responders are with the family and all those affected by this heartbreaking incident," as reported by WVLT-TV. The Sevier County Fire Marshal’s Office, Sevier County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are currently investigating the cause of the fire which remains undetermined.
The lost lives are those of two grandchildren, one a teenager at 15 and the other just 8, who were unable to make it out of the burning home, mourning family member Douglas Bihn relayed to WBIR that "They're gone — I can't replace them," Bihn, caught in the throes of grief, received the devastating news while at work, rushed to the scene, which was only fifteen minutes from his workplace, but it was far too late for any attempts at rescue to be feasible.
The fire was reported as a "fully involved residential structure fire" by the local emergency services, who were confronted with a scene of destruction and loss when they arrived, the house having been overtaken by the fire. Assistance came from several agencies including the Catons Chapel-Richardson Cove Volunteer Fire Department, English Mountain Volunteer Fire Department, and Sevierville Fire Department, this collective effort was detailed by WATE which highlighted the broad community effort to contain the fire and address its aftermath.
Speculation suggests that a kerosene heater may be the root cause of the blaze, although investigations remain ongoing at this time, Douglas Bihn shared that authorities informed the family of this possible cause without a sense of conclusion being derived yet.
