Authorities have identified the person found dead after a March 10 house fire in Seymour as 65-year-old Donna Lee Ann Widener, according to Knox County investigators. Her body was recovered at a home in the 400 block of Bays Mountain Road, where officials say the cause and origin of the fire are still under investigation. Neighbors reported seeing heavy flames and a major emergency response early that morning.
How the Bays Mountain fire unfolded
Fire crews from the Seymour Volunteer Fire Department and the Knoxville Fire Department were dispatched just after 7 a.m. on March 10 to reports of a house fire in the 400 block of Bays Mountain Road, where investigators later located one person inside, according to WVLT. Multiple agencies, including the Knox County Sheriff's Office Fire Investigation and Major Crimes units, stayed on scene as firefighters worked to put out the blaze and secure the property. The victim was taken to the Knox County Regional Forensic Center for positive identification.
Identification and investigation
On March 25, the Knox County Sheriff's Office identified the woman as Donna Lee Ann Widener, 65, as reported by WBIR. The sheriff's office's Fire Investigation and Major Crimes units remain involved in the case and are coordinating with the medical examiner's office while detectives process evidence, per the Knox County Sheriff's Office. Officials have not released how Widener died, and no determination of cause or manner has been announced.
Fire-safety context
National data show that working smoke alarms significantly reduce the risk of dying in a home fire. Coverage of National Fire Protection Association findings reports that functioning alarms cut that risk by roughly half. Fire-prevention groups advise residents to test alarms monthly, replace batteries every year or install sealed 10-year alarms, and keep a practiced escape plan for everyone in the household. According to Firehouse, most home fire deaths still happen in homes with no smoke alarms or with alarms that are not working.
Officials are asking anyone with information about the March 10 fire to contact the Knox County Sheriff's Office. The agency and local media outlets are expected to share further updates as the investigation continues. Our thoughts remain with Widener’s family and the neighbors affected by the loss.
