Gatlinburg wildfire death toll still at 13

Dec. 03--GATLINBURG -- The death toll climbed to 13 people Friday as authorities continue to sort through the wreckage left behind by a wildfire called the state's worst in at least a century and some residents came home for the first time to what remained of their lives before the flames.

Crews hoped to wrap up the search by nightfall, Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said at an afternoon news conference. Police, firefighters, National Guardsmen and others have spent the past four days searching through some of the almost 1,000 buildings destroyed or damaged by the fire, marking driveways as they swept neighborhoods.

Throughout the day local, state and federal officials fended off criticism of their handling of the fire, which devastated this resort town and surrounding communities. The county mayor cut short a morning news conference amid questions about when and how authorities made the decision to evacuate the city.

"We're not going to get into Monday-morning quarterbacking," Waters said. "We did the best we could, and we're sorry."

Evacuees and others have asked what local authorities knew about the real danger of the fire and when officials alerted residents and visitors to flee as the wildfire raced toward town. Although an emergency management system sent out an alert, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said that alert never went to all local mobile devices due to the constraints of the system. The alert to evacuate the town went only to broadcast media -- and not until after 9 p.m., more than three hours after the fire, driven by winds that approached speeds of 90 mph, raced toward the city limits.

Alice Hagler, 70, missing from Chalet Village, a collection of rental cabins, was one of three dead found in that neighborhood, her son has said. Memphis couple Jon and Janet Summers, who'd also been staying in Chalet Village, apparently died there as well, according to Jon Summers' brother, Jim.

Officials confirmed the deaths of the Summers couple, Hagler and three others on Friday.

John Tegler, 71, and Janet Tegler, 70, a couple from Canada, also died in Chalet Village, said Vincent Tolley, an assistant medical examiner.

May Vance died of a heart attack due to smoke inhalation while fleeing the fire.

At least one other victim had been identified Friday, but that person's relatives hadn't yet been notified, Tolley said. Officials still are working to confirm the identities of the remaining dead.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has set up a hotline at 800-TBI-FIND for loved ones to report anyone missing. Agents have closed 150 leads so far generated through the hotline, Waters said.

Friday marked the first time residents in the hardest-hit parts of town were allowed to return to their homes and buildings to assess damage. Homeowners and tenants were told to provide proof of residency in order to enter the city, which has remained barricaded by police since the city's 14,000 residents began to flee Monday evening.

Residents will be able to return again from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday through Tuesday. A curfew will be in place throughout the weekend from 6 p.m.-6 a.m.

Authorities had hoped for the city to fully reopen by Wednesday, but that's still only a goal, City Manager Cindy Ogle said.

"We're just pleased that today went as well as it did," she said.

A map will be posted online with updates in real time on the status of damaged properties at seviercountytn.org.

Gov. Bill Haslam, who visited town Friday with U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, said state agencies will do everything possible to work with residents on insurance claims, applications for unemployment benefits and other assistance and to distribute Federal Emergency Management Agency aid. The governor signed an executive order relaxing some state laws to help residents with recovery and said the state will build a job bank for hourly workers facing the loss of employment in Gatlinburg's service-oriented tourist economy.

"I had one employer in Knoxville call up and say he had 20 jobs for people here who had lost their jobs," Alexander said.

The governor said condolences and offers of support continue to pour in, from the White House and across the country, for a town that's come to be identified with the Smoky Mountains and the most-visited national park.

"We all grew up playing in these mountains," Haslam said. "We all know and love this place. I've gotten calls from just about every governor of every state in the country, and they all say things like, 'We went there on our honeymoon,' or 'We went there growing up.' This is a special place."

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but the National Park Service has said the blaze was "human-caused." Investigators from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are working with Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers to determine the origin of the fire, which started last week in the remote Chimney Tops Trail area of the park, and whether someone set it intentionally.

The fire has consumed almost 18,000 acres so far, including more than 6,200 acres outside the park.

Eighty-five people have been treated for fire-related injuries so far, officials said. That number includes the Summers' three sons, who suffered burns serious enough to be taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

Gatlinburg Fire Chief Greg Miller and Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers for days have warned about the chance the fires could reignite, noting the less than 2 inches of rain received earlier this week wouldn't necessarily make up for drought conditions that plagued the area all summer. Days after the fire swept through town, smoke still rose from blackened brush piles, logs and homes. Several open flames could be seen sporadically.

Authorities said most of the major fires have been extinguished, although crews continue to monitor hot spots.

Fire appeared to strike homes and businesses haphazardly. One row of houses might survive unscathed, while a business across the street would be gutted.

"Some of these areas are devastated," Waters said. "Some of these structures, there's nothing there."

Most residents and business owners have vowed to rebuild, including Gatlinburg Mayor Mike Werner, who lost his home and business in the blaze.

"We're going to rise up and bounce back for two reasons," he said. "Because we're mountain tough and because of our strong faith in Jesus Christ."

Around 200 people remained in emergency shelters Friday. Waters said authorities will work with FEMA to secure long-term housing assistance for residents with nowhere to go.

Tennessean staff writer Dave Boucher contributed to this story.

More on the Sevier County wildfires:

* UPDATED LIST: Structures damaged, destroyed by wildfire

* 'The roads were on fire': Stranger saves couple from Gatlinburg blaze

* Gatlinburg evacuation order never sent to mobile devices, broadcast hours after fire reached city

* What's new in the Gatlinburg wildfire disaster

* Work begins to bring Great Smoky Mountains National Park back after fires

* Ten resources for Gatlinburg wildfire victims

* Karyssa Dalton searches for her missing grandmother

* TEMA: Death toll rises to 11 in Gatlinburg wildfires

* Gatlinburg fire victims become job seekers

* Update: Ohio family arrives to support Michael Reed

* First-person account of Gatlinburg: City like 'apocalyptic wasteland'

* Sen. Corker's speech to Senate on Tennessee tragedies

* Guard moves through Gatlinburg as families view wreckage

* Haslam issues executive order to aid disaster victims

* Photos: Wildfires continue to wreak havoc on Gatlinburg

* Search continues for missing grandmother

* 'Moving forward': Gatlinburg evacuees wait to go home

* All but two Sevier County schools to hold classes Friday

* Fairground becomes temporary shelter for pets and livestock

* BCBS of TN to donate $25K to wildfire effort

___

(c)2016 the Knoxville News-Sentinel (Knoxville, Tenn.)

Visit the Knoxville News-Sentinel (Knoxville, Tenn.) at www.knoxnews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.