Its a sad day’ | Flames engulf administration building at Knoxville College [Video]

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – The Knoxville Fire Department responded to a fire on the Knoxville College campus Monday evening.

When crews arrived on the scene at around 8:30 p.m., KFD said there was heavy fire showing. The flames could be seen several miles away, including from I-40.

Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon told WVLT News the fire broke out at Elnathan Hall. Frank Shanklin, an alumni and Board of Trustees member, said it was an administration building that hadn’t been occupied in at least 40-50 years.

“It‘s a sad day for the Knoxville community,” Kincannon said. “Knoxville College was established not long after the Civil War to educate formerly enslaved people, and it did that job and did it well for 100+ years. In recent years, it‘s been a harder thing. It‘s going to be sad to lose this building, and we’ll continue to work with the private board that owns …