Tennessee

14th Death Confirmed With Tennessee Fires Less Than Half Contained

Elaine Brown sustained a "medical event" that led to a multi-vehicle accident while she was fleeing the fires in Sevier County

An 81-year-old woman was confirmed to have died in eastern Tennessee's devastating wildfires, raising the death toll to 14, authorities said Sunday, NBC News reported. 

Elaine Brown sustained a "medical event" that led to a multi-vehicle accident while she was fleeing the fires in Sevier County in and around Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the joint federal-state-local incident management team said Sunday night.

More than 700 firefighters from almost two dozen fire crews remain in eastern Tennessee battling the Chimney Tops 2 fire and several smaller wildfires it helped spark, fire commanders said Sunday night. In addition to the 14 people who have died, 134 others have been treated at hospitals, they said. 

The human-caused main fire was at 17,006 acres and was 42 percent contained Sunday night, authorities said. It's expected to continue smoldering overnight before rain forecast for Monday helps to slow its spread.

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