2009 NPT Photo Submitted

Firefighers representing the Cocke County Fire Department as well as the Grassy Fork and Del Rio volunteer fire departments worked to contain a blaze in a poorly accessible area of Old Fifteenth Road Thursday morning. According to members of the different departments, bridge damage and nearly impassable roads presented many problems in dousing the blaze. Luckily, no one was harmed in the fire.

OLD FIFTEENTH ROAD-For nearly seven hours Thursday morning, firefighters fought to contain a two-story structure fire at 1880 Old Fifteenth Road, that presented members of the Cocke County, Del Rio and Grassy Fork fire departments with frustrating accessibility challenges.
    According to Grassy Fork Volunteer Fire Department Asst. Chief Walt Cross, Central Dispatch received the call at 5:39 a.m. and dispatched firefighters three minutes later. Reports say that three individuals, who escaped the fire unharmed, were inside the residence when the fire stared.
    Cross said one male occupant of the home, who was sleeping upstairs, got up to go to the downstairs bathroom and was returning to bed when he smelled smoke. The man was reportedly able to get a husband and wife couple, staying in the living room, out of the residence before the house became engulfed in flames.
    Both county and volunteer firefighters representing all three departments, experienced problems accessing the fire because of two damaged bridges en route to the blaze. The CCFD's report states, "Firefighters discovered several bridges were being worked on," forcing the department to seek alternate routes. County firefighters soon ran out of their tanker truck's water supply (1,500 gallons) and received assistance from Del Rio and Grassy Fork Volunteers.
    Cross said his department responded with three trucks; which included a 1,500-gallon pump tank truck and squad trucks. Although the smaller trucks made it to the scene with less hassle, tanker trucks with both volunteer organizations and the county department, sought alternate routes on Green Hill Road.
    Cross said the lengthy dousing of the fire was primarily because of lack of accessible water. "We knocked it down," the assistant chief said, who noted that fire in the home's upstairs area was inaccessible because of intense heat. "We ran out of water before we were able to cool it down." He added, "It was extremely frustrating to be that close to putting it out. We had to go to Hartford (using alternate roads to refill tanker trucks.)"
    When asked how the fire started, Cross said the point of origin was likely in a power supply area near the right front portion of the home. Estimated property loss, according to the county fire department, is $55,000.