Police are investigating after a fireplace destroyed Tennessee's Ocoee Whitewater Middle, which served as the positioning for paddling occasions through the 1996 Atlanta Summer time Olympics.

The hearth broke out early Tuesday morning, engulfing the construction in flames and leaving it at a "full loss," in line with a Fb assertion from the U.S. Forest Service. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) is now investigating the scene with particular brokers from its bomb and arson division, ABC Channel Information 9 reported. Nonetheless, investigators haven't but reported any suspicions of foul play or explosions close to the middle.

Situated within the hills of the Cherokee Nationwide Forest, the Ocoee Whitewater Middle was constructed to host occasions equivalent to kayaking and canoeing through the 1996 Atlanta Summer time Olympics. Officers mentioned nobody was injured within the hearth.

"We're simply so grateful that nobody was injured through the hearth and grateful to our companions for his or her help in getting the fireplace beneath management and investigating the trigger," Mike Wright, Appearing Forest Supervisor for the Cherokee Nationwide Forest mentioned in a press release. "The Ocoee Whitewater Middle was a novel web site not simply right here on the Cherokee Nationwide Forest, however throughout the Forest Service. It's a troublesome loss for us."

Ocoee Whitewater Center
The Ocoee Whitewater Middle, residence to Olympic occasions in 1996, burned down on Tuesday, prompting a police investigation. Right here, an archived photograph of the middle is seen in June, 1996, in Tennessee. Bongarts/Getty Pictures

The blaze had destroyed almost 90 % of the construction by the point a full hearth response obtained to the scene early Tuesday, Polk County Emergency Administration Company Director Steve Lofty instructed the Chattanooga Instances Free Press.

"Over half the construction was on hearth earlier than we ever obtained there," Lofty instructed the information outlet. "We simply did not have sufficient water and sufficient assets to regulate it. It was to date alongside earlier than we knew it was burning, there wasn't actually any hope." Video footage shared on Twitter confirmed the middle utterly surrounded by flames.

The Ocoee Whitewater Middle was a sought-after vacation spot for tourism within the county. The U.S. Forest Service mentioned the placement hosted round 300,000 guests a 12 months.

"Heartbroken to listen to in regards to the lack of the Ocoee Whitewater Middle. Many people have recollections of enjoyable on the middle with household and associates," Tennessee Republican Rep. Chuck Fleischmann wrote on Twitter. "Thanks to the firefighters who responded instantly. I do know the TBI will conduct an intensive investigation into the reason for the fireplace."

The Ocoee Whitewater Middle and its close by trails are at the moment closed whereas police proceed their investigations.

Newsweek contacted TBI for extra remark.

It is a creating information story. Extra data can be added because it turns into accessible.