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Eight CCRFS Firefighters and four units respond to abandoned mobile home, brush fire
LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- Two abandoned homes have caught fire this week, Wednesday before 6:30am and Friday, a little before 11am. Veteran Campbell County Rural Fire Service Firefighters are suspecting arson, and investigators with the Campbell County Sheriff’s Department were called in to comb over both fires.
Conditions are prime for a fire to get out of hand on a day like today. A fire danger statement was issued early Friday morning by the National Weather Service at Morristown. Low relative humidity and winds created concerns for the firefighters.
Both homes have been empty for a long period of time according to neighbors. Wednesday’s fire was on Glade Springs Road and the latest on Old Long Hollow Road a little before 11am.
“A neighbor heard a noise, looked out, and the roof of the mobile home was already giving way to this morning’s fire,” said Captain Daniel Lawson with the Campbell County Rural Fire Service.
There was not any electricity at either home making all the more reason that someone intentionally set the fires, according to Captain Lawson. Windows of the Old Long Hollow Road home had recently been broken out providing plenty of oxygen for the fire.
Friday’s fire was extra challenging, because a tree was across the driveway forcing firefighters to attack the fire from a different approach. The mobile home fire spawned a brush fire that consumed about a quarter to a half acre before being brought under control. There were no other nearby structures.
Firefighters focused on the brush fire making sure it did not get out of hand.
There was a third house fire (above photo) this week, on Tuesday morning, around 6:30. That Farris Circle home was occupied when it caught fire. Everyone safely escaped.
(WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-02/28/2025-1PM)