A fire destroyed a house at 855 Main Street in Bryson City on the night of Thursday, August 29. The Bryson City Fire Department reported that the fire was fully involved when responders arrived, though the occupants managed to escape with non-life-threatening injuries. Unfortunately, the family lost all of their belongings and two vehicles that were parked outside the home.
The emergency call came in at 9:46 p.m., with the first responders arriving at 9:51 p.m., and the first fire truck arriving by 9:55 p.m., according to Fire Chief Charles Bryson.
Several propane tanks exploded, and the power line in front of the house was downed and still live. Both vehicles were also engulfed in flames. One resident had to climb out of a window to escape and was later taken to the hospital. As of Tuesday, she remained under medical care.
Fire crews worked until noon on Friday and returned to the scene multiple times. Swain County Fire Marshal Ervin Winchester stated that the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Over the weekend, Chief Bryson addressed online rumors that it took 35 minutes to respond, explaining that the department had 12 volunteers and five fire trucks on the scene within 15 minutes of the initial call, with additional support arriving shortly thereafter.
Bryson also noted that the department does not have paid staff at the station during nights, weekends, or holidays, although efforts have been made to change this in recent years. While they arrived on the scene within nine minutes, Bryson acknowledged that having personnel at the station would reduce response times even further.
Other agencies assisting included Alarka Volunteer Fire Department, West Swain Volunteer Fire Department, Cherokee Fire and Rescue, Swain County Sheriff’s Office, Bryson City Police Department, and Swain EMS.
Swain County High School is organizing donations for the affected family, which includes a student at the school. Principal Sonya Blankenship expressed gratitude for the community’s support and mentioned that the family is currently staying with relatives. To reach the school, call (828) 488-2152.
