Residents of a house that burned to the ground blamed a kerosene heater for the fire that sent at least one person to Fannin Regional Hospital and knocked out internet service to as many as 500 ETC customers (see related story on A2).
The fire on West Tennessee Avenue in Copperhill was first reported to a McCaysville police officer shortly after midnight Thursday, February 4, but by the time she arrived, the structure had already been overtaken by flames.
Police Chief Michael Earley said Officer Alison Taulbee was at the Conoco gas station when a citizen told her a house was on fire. She headed to the scene, notifying both Earley and Fannin County dispatch.
She arrived to find the house fully engulfed by the fire.
Shortly afterward, Earley said he and Detective Cory Collogan arrived and, determining other structures were in danger, called for Fannin County firefighters to respond from the McCaysville station.
Fannin County Fire Chief Larry Thomas said firefighters were dispatched at 11 minutes after midnight. Reports from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office showed the East Polk Fire Department had been dispatched at 12:07 a.m.
Earley said he, Collogan and a firefighter from the McCaysville station, who was first to arrive with Engine 4, were able to protect the nearby structures while waiting for help.
Fannin County EMS Director Darrell Payne said a male subject, believed to live next door to the house that burned, was transported to Fannin Regional suffering from smoke inhalation.
A second victim, a female also believed to live nearby, reported suffering from chest pains at the scene, but refused transport saying she would drive herself, Payne said.
Graylon Newman, who lived in the West Tennessee Avenue house with Gina Griffin, told Earley he was filling the kerosene heater with what he thought was kerosene, but turned out to be gasoline, and the heater exploded, Earley said.
Both Newman and Gina were at home, but were able to escape the burning structure.
Besides an engine, tanker, ambulance and rescue unit from Fannin County, fire units from East and West Polk, Wolf Creek and Hiwassee Dam responded to the scene.
Thomas said Fannin units cleared the scene at 2:19 a.m., leaving it with East Polk firefighters.
Polk County dispatch reports show East Polk firefighters had to return twice Friday, once shortly after noon and again at 5:40 p.m. when the fire flared up. They were called at noon as flames threatened ETC repair work.