An update has been provided from the Greene County Sheriff’s Department on a house fire Sunday morning that left one Chuckey resident dead.
The fire was reported just after 7:00 AM at 660 Choctaw Drive. The homeowner’s sister was inside the home sleeping and was awakened by the family dog barking. The dog was acting strange in front of the basement door. The father, Daniel Reaves, age 59, lived in the basement, where the smoke was coming from. The doorknob was hot to the touch. An attempt was made to go in the basement for the father, but the amount of smoke caused the daughter to be unsuccessful. She went upstairs to get the homeowner and they both attempted to make entry into the basement again but were still unsuccessful. The victim’s grabbed the kids and had to exit the home.
Entry was made into the basement from a garage by witness Michael Reed from the Greeneville Fire Department and witness Trevor Tweed. They found a deceased body in a bedroom in the back left side of the basement area. Tusculum Fire Department Chief Marty Shelton arrived on the scene. It was confirmed that the deceased body was Daniel Reaves, who suffered from lung cancer, diabetes, and was a smoker.
Units from Tusculum, Limestone, Newmansville, and Camp Creek Volunteer Fire Departments, along with the Greeneville City Fire Department responded to the scene.
Investigators with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the fire investigator with the Greene County Sheriff’s Department continue their investigation into the cause of the fire. The remains were sent to the William L. Jenkins Forensic Center for an autopsy. The cause of the fire is undetermined at this time.
