Early Tuesday morning, the Ocoee Whitewater Center in Polk County caught fire and was destroyed, according to a Facebook post by The Cherokee National Forest. Although the building is a “complete loss,” no one was injured in the fire, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
A fire broke out at Ocoee Whitewater Center, the site of a 1996 Olympic event in Polk County Tennessee. Police are investigating possible causes of the fire, including arson and explosives.
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“First, we are just so grateful that no one was injured during the fire and thankful to our partners for their assistance in getting the fire under control and investigating the cause,” Mike Wright, acting forest supervisor for the Cherokee National Forest, said in a statement. “The Ocoee Whitewater Center was a unique site not just here on the Cherokee National Forest, but across the Forest Service. It is a difficult loss for us.”
The Ocoee Whitewater Center is currently closed, as are associated trails including:
- Bear Paw Loop Trail #334
- Rhododendron Trail #332
- Old Copper Road Trail #333
- Connector trail from Chestnut Loop #335 to Bear Paw Loop Trail #334
The Ocoee Whitewater Center opened to serve as a venue for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. It hosted the Canoe and Kayak Slalom. It is a key recreation site in the forest and hosts about 300,000 visitors a year.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is currently investigating the cause of the fire. No one is allowed onsite until their investigation is complete, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Tennessee Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03), whose district includes Polk County, reacted to the fire, writing on Twitter, “Heartbroken to hear about the loss of the Ocoee Whitewater Center. Many of us have memories of fun at the center with family and friends. Thank you to the firefighters who responded immediately. I know the TBI will conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire.”
Heartbroken to hear about the loss of the Ocoee Whitewater Center. Many of us have memories of fun at the center with family and friends.
Thank you to the firefighters who responded immediately. I know the TBI will conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire.
— Chuck Fleischmann (@RepChuck) April 26, 2022
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Chuck Fleischmann” by United States Congress. Background Photo “Ocoee Whitewater Center” by Parkerdr. CC BY-SA 3.0.
