Knoxville Cedar Bluff Apartment Fire Displaces 17 Residents

A fire at a Knoxville apartment building late Thursday left 17 people without a place to live. The Knoxville Fire Department said the blaze at The Elements at Cedar Bluff was reported to Knox County 911 at about 10 p.m. on November 5 and was under control by 10:45 p.m. No residents or firefighters were reported injured.

What happened

According to the fire department, the fire started in a first-floor apartment, climbed into the unit directly above it and then burned through the roof. Fire department spokesperson Tim Woods told WVLT that the first crew on scene found "heavy fire" pouring from a ground-level apartment. The department said the glow could be seen from the interstate.

Officials said nobody was home in the unit where the fire began. The building has 14 units and 17 occupants, according to WVLT. Pets were brought out of the building, but one cat died from smoke inhalation, the department said.

Damage and displacement

The damage was uneven across the building. Three apartments suffered heavy fire damage. Two more were badly hit by smoke and water, and every other unit took at least some minor smoke or water damage. Even so, all 17 residents were displaced. The American Red Cross is helping them, according to both WVLT and the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Reports differ slightly on how the complex is named: WVLT calls it The Elements at Cedar Bluff, while the News Sentinel's text uses "Element at Cedar Bluff" in one place and "The Elements" in photo captions. Neither report gave a street address.

Cause

The cause has not been determined and remains under investigation. Officials have not said what started the fire, and it would be premature to guess.

What this means for renters

This fire is a reminder that a unit does not need to burn to be unlivable. Smoke and water damage can close apartments that never saw flames, which is why the number of displaced residents here is higher than the number of heavily burned units. If you are displaced, a few practical steps help:

• Document first. If you can safely do so and are allowed back in, photograph your belongings. Keep any receipts for hotel stays, meals and clothing.
• Ask for written notice. Ask the property manager in writing when the building is expected to reopen, whether rent will be paused or credited, and how your deposit will be handled.
• Call your renters insurer. Many policies include loss-of-use coverage for temporary housing. Our guide to renters insurance after a fire explains how that works.
• Use the checklist. Our first 72 hours checklist covers documents, medications and who to notify.

Residents of the building who need help can contact the Red Cross, which the fire department says is assisting those who lost housing. Anyone with questions about their lease should ask the management company for a written response.

Photo: Firefighters at a 2007 apartment fire in Buffalo, N.Y., by DragonFire1024 via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0. File photo; it does not show the Knoxville fire.