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Toll Of Gatlinburg Firestorm Continues To Grow

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Damage estimes have more than doubled since Tuesday. The latest estimate is that 1
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Emergency officials increased the death toll Friday morning. There are now 12 deaths related to the firestorm that engulfed Gatlinburg Monday night. A 13th fatality was blamed on smoke inhalation as a woman fled the fire, leading to a heart attack.

Medical examiners are beginning to officially identify the deceased, which include a Memphis couple whose three sons were treated for burns at Vanderbilt. A couple from Canada also died in the fire. Both couples were staying in the badly burned Chalet Village.

Authorities also identified the heart attack victim as Mae Vance, who was vacationing in Gatlinburg. A sixth fatality has been identified by the family has not yet been notified.

At a press conference Friday morning, the state’s top elected officials encouraged people to have patience with first-responders, especially on identifying the fatalities.

“I’m from here and I know these folks and they’re going to make certain they get it right,” Gov. Bill Haslam said. “These are real lives. And nobody wants to make a mistake here.”

The damage assessment continues to increase. Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters says 1,000 structures were either destroyed or severely damaged. He estimates 90 percent of the affected area has been “soft searched” and that the rest should be complete by sundown. But he says that doesn’t mean the search is over.

So far, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has not given an updated figure for the number of possible missing people. The number started at 70 leads early Thursday.

Residents and business owners were beginning to be allowed in Friday morning.

Authorities blocked off the main road into downtown Gatlinburg for several days, even after the fire had mostly extinguished. But they’re allowing residents and business owners to access the area for several hours as long as they can show proof of residency. Gatlinburg is scheduled to reopen to the public on Wednesday.

 

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Blake Farmer, Host, This Is Nashville

Blake Farmer is the host of “This Is Nashville,” the flagship weekday show of Nashville Public Radio. Previously, Blake spent 16 years at WPLN News, serving as host, editor and news director. Before a two-year radio hiatus with a Nashville-based healthcare company, Blake was one of the country’s most prolific healthcare audio journalists. He produced stories for both local and national programs, extending the reach of his reporting through a partnership with KFF Health News. Outside of work, Blake can be found running or biking on roads that other Nashvillians consider too busy for such activities. So far, he has always made it home to his wife of 20 years and two children.

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