8-6-15
(Cleveland)- A brief scare Wednesday night when neighbors called White County 9-1-1 to report smoke coming from Charles Smithgall Humane Society and Adoption Center on Highway 75 between Cleveland and Helen. Fire, Medical and Sheriff ‘s office personal were dispatched at 7:01 PM.
A Helen fire unit was the first fire unit to arrive and discovered the smoke was coming from an animal crematory located behind the main facility.
Center officials arrived and advised that the gas company had just installed a new regulator and the fire was burning much higher than normal, in fact flames were coming out of the top of the crematory smoke stack.
Fire officials on scene advised shelter officials that the crematory was too close to a stand of pine trees that could easily catch on fire and there were numerous pet crates stacked next to the very hot crematory.
Shelter officials said they would be addressing the issues Thursday. The animal shelter is a no kill shelter, but officials said they were cremating for a private individual, who’s pet had just died.
