By Don Jacobs and Hayes Hickman
The News Sentinel
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — An early morning house fire Tuesday in rural Campbell County where fire crews discovered the body of a 44year-old woman has been deemed suspicious.
Volunteer firefighters received the alarm about 1:35 a.m. and responded about 2 a.m. to find the 1,000-squarefoot home engulfed in flames at 501 Adam Hollow Lane, said Daniel Lawson, chief of Campbell County Rural Fire Services.
A man at the scene immediately informed the firefighters that his mother still was inside.
“The son confirmed to our crews that his mother was still inside,” Lawson said.
“The son had some cuts on him. He said he was trying to rescue his mom.
“She was located in the area of her bedroom.”
The victim was identified as Joyce Powers.
An ambulance crew tended to the man’s injuries as 15 volunteer firefighters from the Campbell County squad and five more from the Jellico Fire Department responded to the Stinking Creek/Pioneer area home, attacking the flames with two tankers and a pumper. The pumper was pulling water from a nearby creek to douse the flames, Lawson said.
As firefighters battled the flames, Powers’ husband and other relatives arrived.
“Her husband was at work,” Lawson said.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation. State arson officials are involved in the probe, Lawson said.
“The fire is suspicious,” said Campbell County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy John Finley. “We are actively working the case right now.”
Finley declined to say whether the death is being treated as a homicide. Powers’ body was sent to the Regional Forensic Center in Knoxville for autopsy.
“The fire is being investigated thoroughly,” Finley said.
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