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Video, Photos: Mutual aid response to Tenn. business district fire

Firefighters from five FDs responded to a long-fought fire in Decherd

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Decherd Fire and Rescue/Facebook

By Ben Benton
Chattanooga Times Free Press

DECHERD, Tenn. — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is conducting a probe after the Decherd Fire Department and firefighters from neighboring agencies battled a multiple-building fire on East Main Street in the Franklin County town’s business district.

Several blocks were closed off while firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze involving two main buildings and some adjacent secondary structures, according to Decherd Fire Chief Chuck Williams.

“It was very hard to control there for a while,” Williams said by phone. “At one point, we were pouring 2,000 gallons a minute for probably two hours to contain that fire and cut it off.”

Five neighboring agencies responded to help at the fire, he said.

The fire was reported at 1:28 a.m. Tuesday at a short block of businesses on East Main Street, across from the town’s post office, according to Decherd Fire Department posts on social media.

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