Contributed photo – ERFD Squad 1, followed by Chief Mike Mike Williams in Gatlinburg Wednesday evening.

The following is an East Ridge Fire and Rescue Facebook post on Wednesday morning from Fire Chief Mike Williams:

We will not be posting any photos on Facebook at this time per request of Gatlinburg Fire Chief. Please respect and understand his request. The devastation is a worse case scenario. I would compare it to a war zone. Many resources from across the state are assisting. To many to name. East Ridge crews worked all night in the downtown district. We worked several structure fires, woods fires, propane fires, and vehicle fires.We are very tired but determined to do our share. All of our crew is safe and getting some rest at this time. Phone service is poor, we will try to keep all posted. Keep all of our brothers and sisters in your prayers please. Love your brother… Chief Williams

A crew of East Ridge firefighters, including Fire Chief Mike Williams, headed to Gatlinburg Tuesday morning to assist agencies in the fires that are ravaging the area.

Randy Albright, James Burkhart, Brandon Clark and Chris Peters loaded up in Squad 1, the city’s new fire truck, at about 9:15 a.m., followed by Chief Williams in his vehicle.

Chief Williams said it is not known how long the ERFD contingent will be in the fire-stricken area.

“We’ve packed our bags,” Chief Williams said as he spoke with mutual aid directors in the area. “We’ve heard there are over 50 structures on fire. There could be people missing. We just don’t know until after the briefing.

“This is a worse-case scenario,” he added. “

Tri-State Mutual Aid Coordinator Eddie Phillips was briefing Chief Williams over the phone prior to the crew’s departure. Phillip was telling Chief Williams that the crews from Southeast Tennessee were going to “swap out” with crews who have been fighting the fire overnight.

Those crews included men and equipment from Chattanooga Fire Department, Bradley County, Tri-Community, Signal Mountain, Dallas Bay, Engelwood, Megis County, Athens, Cleveland and Decatur.

Chief Williams said he did not know if his crew would go to Gatlinburg Pittman High School, the staging area for emergency workers, or initially head to another location. 

Wildfires in and around Gatlinburg were fanned by gale force winds on Monday evening. Those fires spread into Gatlinburg proper consuming numerous structures and forcing an evacuation of the popular tourist destination. People living on the ridges in and around Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge were forced to flee from their homes.

One of those evacuated was former East Ridge resident Steve Walls. Walls, his wife Maryann and their son, Brandon, fled from their Panther Knob home early Monday evening. On Monday evening, Walls said he and his family were trying to get down the mountain to safety and into a motel room for the night.

On Tuesday morning at 5 a.m., Walls headed back up the mountain to find out if his rental home had been destroyed.

“It’s devastated up here,” he said over the phone. “Several houses have burned to the ground and there are burned cars. Entire neighborhoods are gone.

“It’s bad, real bad,” he said. “It looks like Iraq.”

Walls said that Gatlinburg was “devastated.” He said that his friend’s cabin, which has a panoramic view of Mt. LeConte, was gone. Both sides of Ski Mountain Road had burned he said.

As of 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Walls said he was unable to reach his home on Panther Way. Walls said he turned back earlier because of the darkness and smoke. He made another effort and made it to Panther Way and a propane tank exploded.

East Ridge News Online will update this story when more information becomes available.

Fire Chief Mike Williams, right, briefs a crew of firefighters Tuesday morning before heading off to Gatlinburg.