KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — On Friday, the Knoxville Fire Department said investigators determined the Oct. 13 fire at a West Knoxville apartment complex was intentionally set.
On Thursday night, KFD said it responded to reports of a fire intentionally set at a West Knoxville apartment building. It also initially said there were reports of people trapped inside.
"Upon arrival of both the police department and the fire department, we were being advised that people were trapped. A couple of Knoxville police officers immediately tried to go in and rescue anybody who was trapped, along with our firefighters who started setting ladders up on the building and bringing people out of the building as well," said Mark Wilbanks, a spokesperson for KFD.
It said the fire was located at 905 Flanders Lane — The Country Day Apartments. Crews got the call at around 8:44 p.m.
By 8:59 p.m. they said the fire was extinguished and everyone was out of the building. According to KFD, the fire was mostly contained in the hallway. They also said that the building had around six units in total.
According to a KFD spokesperson, seven people were being treated for smoke inhalation. That included two police officers, an elderly woman, three children as well as their mother. They are being treated at the University of Tennessee Medical Center.
"Fortunately enough, we did seem to get everyone out of the building," said Wilbanks. "Where the fire was, which was in the hallway, created a problem for the occupants to exit the building. When they opened their doors, they were met with smoke so they closed their doors and immediately went to the balconies and windows."
He said that personal items were mostly unharmed by the fire, but the residents would not be able to stay in the building overnight. The American Red Cross is helping the 11 displaced people.
The two officers treated were Derek Baird and John Shuler, according to the Knoxville Police Department.
"We are proud of their courage and heroism & relieved that everybody is ok," KPD said in a tweet.
KFD does believe that the fire was set intentionally, according to Wilbanks.
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