On Wednesday afternoon, the Knoxville Fire Department was called to the scene of a house fire in Fort Sanders at around 4:45 p.m. The fire was located on the far East side of Forest Avenue near The Hill Bar & Grill.

Initial reports suggest the home was abandoned. No inhabitants were found inside. Smoke from the fire spread quickly across the Fort Sanders area and UT’s campus, causing hazy, dense air conditions. 

Four fire trucks and several other first response vehicles blocked off Forest Ave as flames tore through the roof of the home, sending smoke and the distinct smell of a bonfire across campus on a crisp fall afternoon.

The cause of the fire is still unclear, but it had largely been put out half an hour after firefighters arrived. Students living at the nearby Commons reported hearing a loud popping noise and then seeing smoke.

Onlookers lined the streets to take photos and watch as firefighters poured water on the blaze, sending mist high into the air.

This is a developing story and the cause of the fire is pending investigation.