update reason request for prayer long read

Three story home burns off Smithson Hollow Road



At approximately 3:12 p.m., the Gassaway, Auburntown, Short Mountain, and Woodbury Volunteer Fire Departments were called to the scene of a house fire that was fully-involved off Smithson Hollow Road in the Gassaway/Auburntown area.

When the firefighters arrived, they encountered difficult conditions, including a narrow roadway and narrow curving drive and were unable to make the extremely sharp turn with their fire trucks to the house.

Upon arrival, the home and vehicle were already destroyed and the fire was extremely large and hot and flames were halfway up the trees behind the home scorching the bark and leaves.

Since the conditions were so dry, it was imperative that the firefighters do their best to keep the fire from spreading to the heavily wooded area with several homes just beyond. It did jump to another area and the firefighters rushed to the scene to extinguish the large blaze. Middle Tennessee Electric was also called to the scene because of downed power lines.

When speaking to Jodie Taylor, he stated the owner of the home was his sister, Christy Nokes. He stated that she had been an inpatient at Vanderbilt Medical Center for the past week and her daughter had been staying with him. He also said he came last night to her home, fed the cat and turned everything off, locked the doors and left. His grandfather spotted the smoke today. Nokes is expected to be discharged Tuesday.

Taylor stated, “That was her only car and everything she’s got that was up there. She’s going to come home and she won’t have anything.”

It was a three-story home.

The Tennessee Division of Forestry arrived to inspect the scene and determine what action to take since it was a heavily-wooded area and the fire had scorched the trees behind the burning structure. The brought their dozier and were in the process of raking around the fire in order to make sure that it was out.


i seethe pix didn't come thru, sorry

 

It was my GD house and our county has no arson investigator, all we have is a volunteer fire dept but they were great. Never again will stand by and listen to someone say anything against our volunteer fire dept. they were outstanding. marrie