Summary of Events
Early on the morning of Friday, February 1, 2019, a fire was reported at Franklin Ford to the Macon County 911 Center. Smoke was observed coming from the parts department.
A Franklin Police Officer arrived within four minutes (3:43am) and reported heavy black smoke and by 3:45 am, reported the fire had self-ventialted and was through the roof. Firefighters quickly arrived and made attacks on the fire, including interior attacks, but had to withdraw due to the intensity of the fire and concerns about structural collapse. The fire was contained to three buildings at the site. Fire Command was terminated at 11:47am and the scene was tuned over to the investigation team, including the State Bureau of Investigation.
This is a timeline of the events of the 2019 Franklin Ford Fire as recorded by Macon Media:
**3:41am** There is a report of black smoke coming from the body shop at Franklin Ford.
Franklin Fire Department is responding. Mountain Valley and Cullasaja and Cullasaja are responding to assist.
Please be careful if you are passing through this area. If this turns out to be a major fire, please avoid the area entirely.
dispatched at 3:39am
published at 3:41 am on Friday, February 1, 2019
**3:43am** A Franklin Police Officer has arrived, reports heavy black smoke showing.
**3:43am** Command has requested Cullasaja establish a water point at the hydrant at Drake Enterprises across the four-lane.
**3:44am** Clarks Chapel Fire Department has been requested to provide mutual aid since this is a large commercial fire.
**3:45am** The police officer reports fire is through the roof.
**3:54am** EMS reports smoke showing in the showroom.
**3:55am** Cowee Fire Department has also been toned out to respond to this call.
**3:57am** Firefighters are ventilating the shop roof at this time.
**4:02am** Firefighters are making an interior attack in the body shop.
**4:03am** Cullasaja Firefighters are at the water point, establishing a water supply operation.
**4:05am** Command has requested all incoming firefighters to check in at the Command Post at Medic 6.
**4:11am** D-Side has requested additional resources (engines & manpower) at the parts area.
**4:13am** The EOC has advised the Command Post that Duke Energy has a 15 minute ETA to the scene.
**4:14am** The Command Post has relayed a hazard report to Operations that there are about 40 car airbags in the parts area that may explode if exposed to fire.
**4:20am** Command reports no fire located in the showroom, the source of the smoke was a breezeway.
**4:21am** D-Side reports access made to the fire. An attack is underway.
**4:28am** The Command Post has requested Otto and Burningtown respond to this fire. He also requests the portable air tank system from Burngintown to respond to this fire.
**4:30am** Realtime audio can be heard at https://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/23557/web
**4:31am** The Command Post has requested all paid staff for Franklin Fire Department respond to this call.
**4:32am** The CP reports Duke Energy has cut the power.
**4:33am** The CP (Command Post) reports fire is now venting from the A-Side of the structure.
**4:40am** The Command Post has ordered an evacuation of the building, they are switching to defensive mode on this fire.
**4:43am** The road at the water point on Lake Emory Road is a solid sheet of ice. NCDOT response has been requested.
**4:49am** Please do not try to get a look at this fire. I'm sure WLOS is enroute and will have photos and video later.
**4:51am** Photo sent by a reader at the request of Macon Media from a safe distance.
**4:58am** West Macon Fire Department has been requested to send an engine and personnel to stand by at Franklin Fire Department to handle calls for them while they're at Franklin Ford.
**5:00am** Savannah Fire Department from Jackson County has been requested to send a tanker and manpower to this fire.
**5:10am** The CP reports partial building collapse of the body parts shop.
**5:12am** Cowee Fire Department is standing by at their Station #3 with an engine and personnel to handle calls in the Franklin Fire District.
**5:27am** West Macon is responding to a medical call for Franklin off Louisa Chapel Road.
*5:33am** The CP is expanding water supply operations from two hydrants to a third near the old Bowling Alley. Please be careful in this area if this is along your commute.
**5:34am** Sylva Fire Department has been requested to standby at Savannah fire station while they're assisting on this call in Macon County.
**5:36am** The CP advises they've overwhelmed the hydrant system near the Franklin Ford, pulling more water than it can provide. They're checking into setting a draft site up at Lake Emory.
**5:37am** THe CP has requested West Macon Fire Department establish a draft site on Lake Emory.
**5:39am** A reader reports US-441 near Franklin Ford is slick from water freezing on the road. Please be careful if you must pass through that location.
**5:40am** Cowee Fire Department has been requested to send an engine and personnel from station #3 to standby at the Franklin Fire Station to handle calls in the Franklin Fire District.
**5:42am** Cullasaja Firefighters report the hydrant on Lake Emory Road has run dry. The CP has requested that trucks using that point move to near the Bowling Alley
**5:43am** Franklin Water Department reports the hydrant in front of the Macon Bank Headquarters (Entegra) is a 12-inch line and can handle more water than the 4-inch hydrants near Franklin Ford.
**old message I didn't have time to post earlier** The CP has requested sand for the roadway in front of Franklin Ford due to ice forming on the four-lane.
**5:49am** Otto Firefighters have established a water supply point at the Macon Bank Headquarters. Cullasaja Firefighters will be moving to establish one in front of the Bowling Alley. Please be careful if your commute takes you past these locations due to water freezing on the roadway. Proceed with extreme caution.
**5:54am** Cullasaja Firefighters have established a water supply point at the old Bowling Alley. Please exercise extreme caution if you must pass by this location on your commute. Watch for personnel, trucks, and ice on the roads.
**6:00am** West Macon Firefighters have established a water draft site near the Lake Emory Dam. Please be careful if your commute takes you through this area and all the other areas between the water supply points because water will leak from these trucks and freeze on the roads. Proceed with extreme caution.
**6:04am** The CP has requested Station #5 out of Rabun County respond to provide coverage for fire calls in the southern area of Macon County for the Otto and Clarks Chapel Fire Districts while those departments are out on this call.
**6:11am** The CP (Command Post) has requested the NCDOT to place some sand or salt at the drop tank in the parking lot of Franklin Ford due to ice.
**6:17am** The NCDOT has two trucks on the way to apply material at the fire scene.
**6:37am** A Cullasaja Gorge truck will be standing by to respond to fire calls in the north section of Macon County. A truck from Highlands Fire Department will be standing by at the EOC on Main Street to handle calls in the Franklin Fire District.
**6:40am** A reader reports fire is now active in the attic over the showroom
**7:20am** Coverage from WLOS [LINK]
**7:30am** The CP has released Savannah Fire Department from this call. Much progress has been made on the fire and they're down to using hand lines on the fire.
**7:34am** The Command Post reports the fire has been contained and is under control.
**7:43am** Live video from WLOS
**8:17am** Water Supply operations are now limited to just the hydrant below Entegra Bank Headquarters. Be extra careful between there and Franklin Ford due to the potential for spilled water to freeze on the road.
**8:29am** Command has started releasing trucks and personnel from mutual aid fire departments from this location with appreciation for their assistance on this call.
**8:39am** Command has requested NCDOT return to the fire scene with more material to apply to the scene due to ice continuing to form and has requested them to check the roads between the water supply points and Franklin Ford for ice on the roadways.
**9:39am** An aerial photo of the scene has been added to the daily weather briefing at https://thunderpigblog.blogspot.com/2019/02/wx20190201.html
Photos commissioned by Macon Media from Karcher Aerial Imaging [LINK]
**11:02am** Franklin Ford expresses thanks to the community for their support
**11:47am** Fire Command has been terminated at this location. The commander has expressed his appreciation to all those who responded to this call.
**12:05am** Now WLOS has a drone up at the site
**3:37pm** Franklin Fire Department has posted about the fire
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Published at 1:50 am on February 2, 2019
Edited at 8:36am thanks to an eagle-eyed reader who spotted an error.
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