Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department

On Sunday, July 17, 2022 around noon, Sharps Chapel Fire Department was requested by Claiborne County to assist with a fire of a large house boat at the Cedar Grove Marina in New Tazewell at Norris lake. Engine 51 responded to the scene to assist Claiborne County units on the scene. The fire was contained and no injuries were reported. Apparently the boat was docked at the fuel island of the marina and had just got fuel when the fire started. An explosion was reported at the scene. The area was evacuated and an investigation was underway.

On Sunday morning, July 17, 2022 around 12:42 am the Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department was called out to assist with a vehicle accident on Leadmine Bend Road just past Shoffner Road.

Engine 54 arrived on the scene to find that a 2000 model Mazda pickup truck had struck a tree in the roadway that had fallen across telephone lines blocking the roadway.

Units from the Union County Rescue Squad and Union County EMS also responded to the scene, where the driver was found to have serious injuries from the accident.

The male teenage driver was loaded and transported to the hospital by Union County EMS for injuries sustained in the crash.

SCVFD stood by on the scene with Union County Sheriff’s Deputies until the vehicle, tree and utility lines were cleared from the roadway.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol worked the accident.

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.

On March 27, 2022, at 12:27 pm, The Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to an out-of-control brush fire in the area of 368 Parsons Shores Road. Prior to the arrival of Engine 52 of the SCVFD requested for mutual aid from the Union County Rescue Squad, Northeast Volunteer Fire Department, and Luttrell Volunteer Fire Department. 12:41 pm Engine 52 then arrived on scene and advised dispatch to cancel the remaining departments and to continue all SCVFD members/apparatuses. 12:50 pm Engine 51 arrived on the scene to help further contain the fire. 12:55 pm Command 5 arrived on scene and took command of the fire. After about 30 minutes of fighting fire Engine 52 from SCVFD advised dispatch, the fire was under control. All SCVFD members and apparatuses remained on scene to put out some hot spots so the fire wouldn’t reignite. The Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department fire chief said around 1.5 acres burned with no structures involved. No injuries were reported from either landowner or fire members. After around an hour and five minutes of fighting the fire all SCVFD members and apparatuses returned to service and returned to quarters.

On Saturday March 26, 2022, The Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a 1 car MVA with minor injuries. Upon arrival Rescue 51 advised dispatch that the vehicle was on its top. All patients were out of the vehicle at the time of arrival. Engine 54 then arrived on scene and took over patient care until the arrival of Union County EMS. Engine 54 then assessed the car for any hazards no hazards were reported. Union County EMS transported 1 patient to the hospital. The second patient refused medical treatment from both fire department members and Union County EMS. The Car was then declared stable until the arrival of the towing company. The towing company then arrived on scene and cleared the roadway. All Sharps Chapel members and apparatuses returned to service.

On Tuesday, March 22, 2022, The Sharps Chapel Volunteer Fire Department responded to a dump truck accident on Russell Brothers Road at the intersection of Ruby Lane in the Sunset Bay area of Sharps Chapel. Union County 911 received the call at 3:17 pm. The driver lost control and rolled the dump truck on its side this causing the truck to leak diesel fuel and leak oil. Engine 54 from the SCVFD arrived on scene to declare one lane of the roadway blocked. Engine 54 then contained the diesel/oil leak and then considered the scene to be safe to open one lane of traffic for the flow of traffic. No injuries were reported for either fire members or the driver of the truck. The truck was then flipped back onto its top and hauled away from the scene to where fire members cleaned up the rest of the diesel/oil from the road. The roadway was reopened, and all Sharps Chapel members went back into service.