Overnight Fire Damages Closed F&M Bank Building In White House
WHITE HOUSE, TENNESSEE: (Smokey Barn News) – The former F&M Bank, located at 518 Highway 76 in White House, caught fire early Friday morning, triggering a multi-agency responce, the first call coming into 911 at 2:47 a.m. MAP
According to Assistant Fire Chief Cary Petitt with the White House City Fire Department, firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke coming from the eaves at the front of the building. The initial crew entered the structure and found little to no smoke on the main floor.
Firefighters determined the fire was located in a compartmentalized area above the bank’s entryway. While one crew accessed the roof to begin ventilation, another worked from inside the building to reach the fire. Once access was gained, crews quickly extinguished the blaze.
Following the knockdown, firefighters conducted overhaul operations to locate and extinguish remaining hot spots. Officials say damage to the building was minimal.
Petitt credited both the White House Fire Department and the White House Community Volunteer Fire Department for the quick stop.
According to Petitt, the bank had reportedly been closed for about a month, and aside from some furniture, the building was largely empty.
The building’s insurance company is expected to investigate the fire. However, preliminary findings indicate the fire likely originated at an electrical junction box in the attic space above the building’s entryway, according to Petitt.
