A structure fire was reported at the Tobacco Brew & Chew on the 5000 block of Murfreesboro Road in La Vergne, leading to a temporary road closure Monday evening. According to a City of La Vergne announcement, the fire departments were dispatched at approximately 9:06 p.m. after reports of visible smoke were made.
The La Vergne Fire Department, alongside mutual aid provided by the Town of Smyrna Fire Department and Rutherford County Emergency Medical Services, responded rapidly, with the first units arriving by 9:08 p.m. Upon their swift arrival, heavy smoke was observed emanating from the storefront, indicative of an internal strife made manifest by flames, which they got under control within a brief span of 10 minutes.
Battalion Chief Cody Wilson led the charge against the conflagration, guiding a team totaling sixteen La Vergne crew members, supported by command staff, four suppression units, one truck, and the aforementioned mutual aid. A statement released highlighted the collaborative efforts in managing the scene, "We had to make entry into the Boost Mobile store in the middle unit of the structure and no one was inside," Wilson conveyed the state of events, according to the City of La Vergne announcement.
No injuries were reported as the occupants of the Tobacco Brew & Chew evacuated prior to the firefighters' arrival. Adjacent businesses, including a Little Caesars, also saw people leave their premises as a precaution, facilitated by emergency responders who, driven by duty, steered the community clear of harm’s shadow. "There is heavy smoke damage to the tobacco store but the full extent of the damage won’t be known until investigations are complete," observed Wilson, according to a City of La Vergne announcement, indicating that while the flames were quelled, the aftermath remains shrouded in the murky haze of pending analysis.
Investigative efforts to ascertain the definitive cause and full extent of the damage are ongoing, with a Rutherford County Fire Department investigator slated to assist La Vergne Fire Marshal Curtis Brinkley in the endeavor. The thorough investigation aims to shed light on the origins and subsequent damage of the fire, with updates expected as the inquiry progresses. Meanwhile, Murfreesboro Road has since reopened, reasserting normalcy along the commercial stretch that had been briefly interrupted by the night's fiery ordeal.
