HAMBLEN COUNTY, Tenn. — A barn fire on Wednesday destroyed a part of the University of Tennessee's work to make sure its logo can be seen across the state.
The "Everywhere You Look, UT" campaign has led to murals across the state. In January, the university added Hamblen County to the list of counties with murals. But almost a year later, in December, Hamblen County may need to be removed from that list.
The Morristown Fire Department said crews received a call Wednesday night about a barn fire near the intersection of West Andrew Johnson Highway and Talbott-Kansas Road. When firefighters arrived, they found a "fully-involved" structure.
The mural on the barn was around 54 ft. wide and was specifically painted at 7425 West Andrew Johnson Highway, according to UT. In January, the university said the mural was meant to showcase to Hamblen County students that they did not need to leave Tennessee for a good education. A news release said the owner of the barn had studied horticulture at UT.
According to the fire department, crews stayed there until around 6:11 a.m. and no injuries were reported to firefighters. The barn was a total loss, firefighters said. In January, UT estimated that it would be seen by around 21,200 travelers each day.
It was the 35th mural in UT's campaign, and the only one in Hamblen County. Murals are present in a total of 43 counties across Tennessee, after the barn fire.
The fire is also under investigation, according to the Morristown Fire Department.