MARYVILLE, Tenn. — Fire crews were working a structure fire at a cemetery near Maryville, according to the Blount County Sheriff's Office. By 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, they said it was 99% contained.
According to BCSO, deputies and the Blount County Fire Department responded to a structure fire call around 2 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon. BCSO said the fire happened at a chapel and mausoleum at Grandview Cemetery on Tuckaleechee Pike.
Firefighters said there was structural damage to the attic and no injuries were reported. They also said the downstairs area, where bodies were lying, did not appear to be damaged.
Blount County Fire Chief Doug McClanahan said it appears the fire was an accident, saying the Blount County Sheriff's Office will investigate the circumstances behind the fire.
Editor's Note: Authorities initially identified the area which caught on fire as a crematorium. This story was updated to reflect it is a chapel building attached to a mausoleum, according to firefighters and Grandview Cemetery's website.