Shelby County, Tenn. — An enormous fire of unknown origin destroyed an unoccupied home on Billy Bryant Road early on Valentine’s Day, but three fire departments responded and kept the blaze from spreading to nearby property and structures.
Multiple callers rang Shelby County Fire dispatchers just after 6 a.m. to report a possible institutional fire, a possible grass fire near Macon Road and Billy Bryant Road (almost to the Fayette County line) and two emergency medical crises. Firefighters responded to all calls and found that the grass fire was actually a furiously burning home obscured by dense woods.
The dispatch supervisor quickly got help from nearby fire stations and departments. A ShelbyCounty brush truck and engine company confirmed the house fire, reporting that the roof had fallen in and flames had consumed most of the 1,800-square foot home. At the peak of the fire fighting, more 25 firefighters from three departments (Shelby County, the town of Arlington and Fayette County) worked to bring the fire under control and keep it from spreading.
Fayette County brought a 2,000-gallon tanker, which allowed the firefighters to use a water shuttle, dump tank and drafting operation.
The home was vacant at the time of the blaze, and no firefighters or private citizens were injured.
The Shelby County Fire Department reported that the home was destroyed. The Fire Marshall’s Office investigated the cause of the fire, and it remains undetermined.
