Two firefighters have been injured following separate house fires in West and East Knox County, officials from Rural Metro Fire report. The first incident occurred in the afternoon yesterday when crews headed to a reported fire in the 8200 block of Elm Hill Circle. Heavy flames were emerging from the attic of the two-story home when fire personnel arrived, as mentioned in a release obtained by WBIR.
In battling the blaze, which was eventually contained to the attic, although extensive damage was done to the home, two firefighters sustained injuries. Jeff Bagwell of Rural Metro Fire stated, “The occupants were not at home at the time of the fire,” but confirmed the injuries to the firefighters, with one being hospitalized. As highlighted by WVLT, neither of the injuries were deemed serious.
Around the same time, Rural Metro Fire's east-end crews attended to another fire reported in the 7300 block of Hammer Road in East Knox County. Flames projected from a rear window upon the crew's arrival, according to a social media post by Rural Metro Fire - Knox County. The fire was quickly brought under control, limiting the damage to one room and its contents. However, smoke damage throughout the residence was significant. The occupants were not home at the time of this second incident, and no injuries surfacing from it, said the post from Rural Metro Fire's Facebook page.
The causes of both fires are currently being investigated. During an emergency, such as the house fires, Rural Metro Fire encourages the community to reach out for support and information. For those who wish to learn about fire safety or the membership program offered by the fire service, Rural Metro Fire's 24-hour membership line is available at 865.371.7495 for inquiries and educational resources.
