A fire at the Red Carpet Motel caused extensive damage to the interior of the building yesterday afternoon. Knoxville Interim Fire Chief Greg Higginbotham says that the fire appears to have started in the attic of the building located on the north side of Knoxville, just off of Highway 14. He says the cause of the fire appears to be faulty wiring, adding fire crews had to tear out much of the attic, especially above their office and washroom. Higginbotham says that the motel will probably be closed for the foreseeable future until their wiring is cleared by an electrician.

The Knoxville Rural Fire Department, Knoxville Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and Marion County Emergency Management also responded to the scene.