May 13--Thirty-five residents were forced out by a fire that heavily damaged their West Knoxville apartment building Sunday morning.
All of the occupants safely escaped the blaze, reported at 9:27 a.m. at Bell Walker's Crossing, 8301 Block House Way, according to Knoxville Fire Department Capt. D.J. Corcoran.
Firefighters arrived to find flames on the second- and third-floor balconies of the 24-unit building, with fire spreading into the attic, he said.
Fire crews focused their attacks on the balcony and attic areas as other firefighters search each unit for possible victims. Forcible entry was made into three units to verify they were unoccupied before all of the residents were accounted for.
One unidentified KFD firefighter was transported to a local hospital on a non-emergency basis to be treated for a shoulder injury, Corcoran said.
Approximately half of the building's units suffered heavy fire damage, while the remainder received mostly smoke and water damage.
Additionally, "A partial collapse of the third floor during the fire occurred due to a combination of lightweight construction, fire damage and excessive weight of water being used to extinguish the flames," Corcoran said in a news release.
On initial inspection, the fire appears to have started on the third floor, as the roof suffered the most extensive damage, said KPD Assistant Chief Brent Seymour. Fire investigators are working to determine cause.
The residents were expected to be relocated to temporary shelter, either in unoccupied units at the apartment complex, or through assistance from American Red Cross staffers who were on scene.
The blaze was brought under control within about three hours, during which the work was complicated by a bit of bad timing -- firefighters had to direct traffic across hose ramps on nearby E. Walker Springs Lane when Sunday morning services let out for some 400 members of the West End Church of Christ congregation, Corcoran said.
Copyright 2012 - The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Tenn.
