Three dead in Tenn. wildfires; hotels, homes destroyed

GATLINBURG, Tenn. — A historic wildfire continued to burn Tuesday in Gatlinburg, killing three people, destroying hundreds of homesand businesses and forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents, Sevier County’s mayor said.

More than 150 homes have been destroyed by flames as flames whipped by high-speed winds raged through this tourist town, state emergency officials said. More than 14,000 people were evacuated from Gatlinburg alone with about 2,000 seeking refuge in emergency shelters.

About a half to three-fourths of an inch of “beneficial rain” fell in the Gatlinburg area overnight, National Weather Service meteorologist Sam Roberts said, which has significantly reduced the fires there. An additional inch of rain is expected later Tuesday and early Wednesday.

Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters, whose jurisdiction includes Gatlinburg, said he had no information on the victims and that authorities are trying to notify next of kin.

“This is a fire for the history books,” Gatlinburg Fire Chief Greg Miller said. “The likes of this has never been seen here. But the worst is definitely over with.”

The Sevier County Emergency Management Agency indicated that the Westgate Resorts, made up of more than 100 buildings, had been destroyed, and Black Bear Falls was believed to have lost every cabin.

The agency also said that Ober Gatlinburg in the mountains overlooking the town had been destroyed, but the amusement park and ski resort posted on its Facebook page just after 9 a.m. ET that “our property is okay,” and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said a video appears to show the facility is unburned.

“We are relieved to know this important Tennessee destination is still there,” the state agency said in an update.

Tennessee Emergency Management Agency reported three burn victims were being treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, and fire crews have taken about a dozen patients for treatment of fire-related injuries. All three of those transported to Nashville were listed in critical condition, a spokesman for the hospital said.

However, Hillbilly Golf, major hotels, a good portion of Regan Drive and countless other businesses and homes were some of the buildings destroyed in the blaze that had firefighters working throughout the night.