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'It Was Pure Devastation': Tennessee Fire Survivor Describes His Escape

Published December 8, 2016 at 12:20 PM CST
The remains of a home smolder in the wake of a wildfire Nov. 30, 2016 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. (Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
The remains of a home smolder in the wake of a wildfire Nov. 30, 2016 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. (Brian Blanco/Getty Images)

[Youtube]

Two Tennessee teens are being held responsible for the wildfires that tore through the City of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and the surrounding areas of Sevier County. The fires killed at least 14 people, injured 176 and damaged more than 2,400 homes and businesses.

Here & Now‘s Robin Young speaks with resident Michael Luciano about his harrowing escape from the Chalet Village Fire in Gatlinburg, and the video he recorded as he made his way down the mountain.

Note: The video above, recorded by Luciano, contains some explicit language.

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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