The fire occurred Sunday night (Aug 5th) at the Sunset Gap Community Center in Cosby. According to the Executive Director, Josh Dunn, the fire was reported around 8:45 pm and spread quickly through the two-story, wooden structure.

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The Sunset Gap dormitory was built in 1928 as a clinic to serve the sick in our community.  Recently it has been used to house hundreds of visiting church groups who come to the area to do outreach projects through home repairs, improvements and even new home construction. The fees to rent the building help fund the community center, dorm and outreach ministry. Without the dorm, the center might have to close next summer.

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“It has housed thousands and thousands of people who have came to help us. Without this building, Sunset Gap is not going to be able to continue with its largest outreach ministry,” the community’s executive director said.

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No one was in the building during the fire and no one was injured, however a church group from Pennsylvania was due to arrive around 9:00 pm Sunday.  They were delayed and didn’t arrive until 11:00 pm. That group is being housed in the community center.

Dunn says they hope the community will help them rebuild the Sunset Gap dormitory through donations of money, labor and materials. If you’d like to make a donation, call 423-623-4313. To donate money on-line you can click the button below. Donations of any amount are appreciated.

Thank You!

Sunset Gap Dormitory Fire News Reports

Additional details, including video clips, are available through the links below:

http://www.wbir.com/news/article/229333/2/No-one-hurt-in-fire-at-community-center-dormitory

http://www.wate.com/story/19201561/fire-destorys-dormitory-at-community-center-in-cocke-county

http://www.local8now.com/home/headlines/Community-center-plans-to-rebuild-after-fire-165188166.html

http://newportplaintalk.com/story/38233