The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
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Posted: Tuesday, January 01, 2019 03:03 PM
Lightning Cause Of West Knoxville House Fire
Rural Metro Fire crews responded to a home on Suwannee Road after neighbors reported hearing a loud lightning strike and seeing smoke coming from the roof.
Nobody was home when the fire started, but the owners did arrive to find 22 firefighters and 11 fire trucks on scene. Rural Metro officials said the heightened response was a result of training new recruits.
Jeff Bagwell, of Rural Metro Fire, said, "We continue to get these pop up thunderstorms and some of them can carry a pretty big punch and when they do they carry these lightning strikes."
Officials said the home sustained minor damage.
