4675 Old Lebanon Dirt Road - Shortly before 12:30 a.m., firefighters from the City of Mount Juliet were dispatched to a smoke investigation at the Laurel Valley Apartments.

Rescue-3 & QRV-3, under the command of Lieutenant Morris Sills [1113], arrived on the scene and reported to "D" Building. The occupant of the apartment was still awake and smelled a smoke odor. Lieut. Sills and his crew began to look for the source of the odor and found a small wisp of smoke coming from an opening in the door frame leading to the balcony.

Having found a confirmed source of smoke, and likely a fire, Lieut. Sills made a radio request to dispatch that a full Commercial Structure Fire assignment be dispatched.

Following this re-dispatch at 12:45 a.m.,, Engine-104, Tower-114, Captain Andy Hassler [1101], Chief Jamie Luffman [Chief-101], and several officers from the Mt. Juliet Police Department responded to the scene.

As additional resources began to arrive, the smoke began to intensify. It was at this time that Capt. Hassler instructed dispatchers to implement the "working fire" protocol. This would bring an ambulance and a R.I.T. company to the scene from the Wilson County Emergency Management Agency. In addition, Middle Tennessee Electric and Rehab-23 were requested to respond to the scene.

Inspection holes were made, sheetrock pulled, bricks demolished, and the entire door and frame removed from the building. All of this exposed visible charring and some flames between the first and second level of the structure.

The fire was able to be extinguished before having a chance to extend out of control. There were no injuries to any firefighters or civilians. The cause and origin of the fire are under investigation by the Fire Department of Mount Juliet.