On Thursday morning, July 14, 2022 around 7:26am, Union County 911 dispatch received a call of a camper fire in the Lakeview Boat Dock Campground in Sharps Chapel.
Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene. Engine 51 arrived on the scene at 7:33am to find that 2 campers were involved with heavy fire and other campers were in danger. Engine 52 arrived along with mutual aid units from Northeast Union and Paulette VFD’s to assist. Maynardville VFD staged a unit in the area on standby during the incident.
Firefighters were able to contain the blaze with a total loss of 2 campers and major damage to a third camper.
SCVFD Chief Chris Upton advised that according to the resident of the first camper, he was asleep when he heard a loud hissing noise coming from the kitchen area. He said when he got up to check the sound he found smoke and fire coming from the wall behind the refrigerator unit and, as he exited the camper, the fire flashed over into the carport knocking him to the ground. No one was at home in the other campers and thankfully no one suffered any major injuries from the blaze. Chief Upton said luckily no one was injured and this could have been a lot worse if the fire had not been contained as quick as it was. Upton said this fire is believed to have started from an electrical malfunction in the refrigerator unit which is a combination of electric and gas powered unit. Two vehicles, four Jet Skis and a golf cart was also destroyed in the blaze which were under the carports of the 2 campers units.
Fire units were on the scene for a few hours checking for hot spots and mopping up the scene.
Chief Upton said he greatly appreciated the help of the other departments who assisted with the fire.
