There was a lot of curiosity about the large plume of smoke that arose from the area of Sunrise Drive in the Hunter Community on Thursday evening around 7:30 p.m. as many folks made a small detour to see exactly what was going on.

While approaching the location caused one’s heart to jump seeing a structure fully engulfed in hot, lapping flames, further investigation quickly revealed that it was a control burn being utilized as a training exercise for the Stoney Creek Volunteer Fire Department.

“The Elizabethton Municipal Airport approached us about burning down four houses that they had purchased and needed to be removed,” said Stoney Creek Fire Chief Jack Buckles. “This provides a great opportunity for our guys to get some great training.

“Contractors actually came in and removed the siding and pretty much everything else leaving just the wood structure and a little metal.”

With the event unnerving locals who were passing by on Highway 91 below, it also brought the local neighbors out to take in the burn as several volunteer firefighters participated in controlling the structure fire.

According to Buckles, there are two more houses that will undergo the same process in the next couple of months after brick and siding is removed from the façade of the two homes.

“Once the brick and siding and a few other items are taken care of by the contractors, we will go in and there and will be joined by others coming to participate in fighting an active fire as well as search and rescue scenarios,” stated Buckles.

With the age of the house, it didn’t take long for the structure to implode on itself as members of the fire department remained on hand to make sure there wouldn’t be any further concerns for the residents that lived close to the burning home.