

The DeKalb County Fire Department had a busy week last week, responding to a house fire and a blaze at a local marina that threatened several boats. One person was injured at one of the scenes and had to be airlifted to the hospital.
DeKalb County Fire Chief Donny Green reported that at 9:33 p.m. of Friday, E-911 dispatch received a call reporting a boat fire at Edgar Evins Marina. Initial reports stated that the vessel was adrift and burning away from other boats and the marina, but responders were later updated that the boat was fully involved and drifting back towards the marina, threatening other boats and the marina itself.
The fire department, along with the Smithville-DeKalb County Rescue Squad, arrived at the scene and found a large cabin cruiser burning. The boat had drifted into the “C” pier of the marina, where flames began to cause damage to four other boats docked in the slips.
Fire and rescue crews worked quickly to access the burning vessel and attach a tow line to pull it away from the marina. Chief Donny Green commended the rescue squad for their quick and precise response in towing the burning boat away from the pier, where the four boats that had already received exposure damage. As a result, the four boats received minor exterior damage, and hundreds of other boats and the marina were saved. Rescue crews towed the burning vessel to the shoreline, preventing it from drifting and sinking.
One occupant on the cabin cruiser, where the fire began, was able to escape the boat, but suffered severe smoke and heat inhalation injuries. The victim was initially treated by Edgar Evins State Park Rangers and DeKalb County Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and was later transported to the hospital by a medical helicopter.
Other agencies rendering assistance were Edgar Evins State Park Rangers, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency officers, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, DeKalb County EMS, and DeKalb County Emergency Management Agency. The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers was also notified of the incident.
Earlier in the week, firefighters responded to another blaze, this one consuming a local mobile home.
On Thursday, July 6, at approximately 5:30 a.m., DeKalb County Firefighters were dispatched to home of ___ Gopar of New Bildad Road, near the DeKalb-Warren County line, for a reported house fire.
When fire crews arrived, the home was fully engulfed and the walls had collapsed. Firefighters quickly worked to contain the fire, preventing it from spreading to other nearby properties.
Gopar was not at home at the time of the incident, and no one was injured. The cause of the fire is undetermined at this time.
DeKalb County Fire Department’s Belk Station, Short Mountain Station, and tanker truck responded, along with DeKalb County Emergency Medical Services and DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department.