A home was destroyed by fire on top of Sale Creek Mountain on Wednesday morning.
The homeowner called 911 at 6:30 a.m. reporting a house fire at 1111 Retro Hughes Road.
Sale Creek Volunteer Fire Department responded and arrived within minutes reporting a fully involved house fire. Due to the location of the home and lack of a hydrant, Sale Creek Volunteer Fire Department requested mutual aid for additional water supply. The Soddy-Daisy Fire Department responded with a tanker truck and personnel to assist Sale Creek Volunteer Fire Department.
According to the homeowner, she awoke to make coffee when she smelled smoke and found fire coming from the first level of the home. She immediately awoke her family (two adults and one child) and evacuated the home.
The homeowner reported the fire was coming from the “water room.” The water supply is stored in the basement area with a heating lamp which keeps the water from freezing.
At this time, the cause of the fire is undetermined and will be under investigation by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.
No injuries were reported. The house is a total loss and estimated at $297,000. The American Red Cross was brought to the scene to assist the family. The couple did have insurance.
Sale Creek Volunteer Fire Department was able to contain the fire to the house and eliminate the fire from spreading to the surrounding dry wooded property.
Officials said, "This was a difficult fire to extinguish. The terrain had poor conditions for fire trucks to gain access to the house and the closest fire hydrant was four miles away at North Hamilton County Elementary School.