As the flames roared from ridgetop to ridgetop Monday night, a crew of Oak Ridge and Maryville firefighters battled blocked roads and downed power lines in a late-night rescue of a dozen visitors staying in rental cabins behind Dollywood.
Huddled in three cars with their four dogs for at least two hours on Mitchell Road, one of the victims told firefighters they were trapped by fires roaring on both sides of the road and debris blocking the road. The group largely was made up of senior citizens, said Oak Ridge Fire Chief Darryl Kerley.
"When I called the number (given by dispatch), a lady answered and she was pretty disturbed," Kerley said. "Everything around them was burning and she's just telling me they're going to die. She said, 'There's 12 of us here and we're all going to die.' "