UPDATED: The cause of a fire that began on the second-story porch of the Camelot Building on July 10 is still undetermined, Brown County (Nashville) Volunteer Fire Department Chief Nick Kelp said July 11.
The fire was reported at about 4:45 p.m. Fire crews were on scene until just before 7 p.m., according to the dispatch log.
Firefighters from Nashville, Fruitdale, Jackson Township and Hamblen Township volunteer departments all responded.
Kelp said he was able to determine that the fire did begin in a corner of the second-story porch. A flower planter was in that corner, and it had melted, he said.
“We were unable to find any source of ignition, so right now we’re going to call it undetermined,” he said.
Kelp said if the building’s insurance company sends out an investigator, then he will work with that person “to see if they found anything that I missed.”
The upstairs of the building was in the process of being remodeled into an overnight rental.
Kelp said there was fire damage on the siding outside and the drywall inside. He said firefighters also had to force their way inside the unit, so the door would most likely have to be replaced. Because of the damage to the porch and the way it was built, Kelp said it may have to be replaced, too.
The Brown County Visitors Center is on the first floor directly below the porch that caught fire. Kelp said firefighters took measures to prevent water damage to that office, including putting covers over electronics and removing retail items, like T-shirts, from the center.
The visitors center was closed on July 11 to let the carpet dry out, said Executive Director Jane Ellis. She said there was some water damage to a few ceiling tiles in the visitors center, but all of the computers were still working and no major damage was reported.
The visitors center was scheduled to reopen today.
“Given what is in that building, it was a very, very good save and they got very lucky,” Kelp said.
“We were very fortunate to get it stopped where it was.”
ORIGINAL STORY:
Fire and police are wrapping up their work at the scene of a second-story porch fire at the Camelot Building in downtown Nashville.
The fire was reported just before 5 p.m. at the corner of Washington and Van Buren streets, but was put out within minutes of Brown County (Nashville) volunteer firefighters arriving.
A witness said she was driving by with her mother when she noticed the fire on the second floor porch. She said she had her mother turn the car around so she could go in to alert the staff in the Brown County Visitors Center, which is on the first floor of the building.
The damage appeared to be contained to the exterior of the building, in the right corner of the second story porch, which is where the flames were when crews arrived. A new overnight rental is in the works for the second floor.
No injuries were reported.
This story will be updated as more information is made available.
