'Tall And Skinny' Fire Spreads Quickly

NASHVILLE, TN -- A fire severely damaged three under-construction tall-and-skinnies in North Nashville late Tuesday.

Nashville Fire crews responded to the blaze in the 1700 block of Pecan Street at 9:20 p.m. Tuesday. One home was fully engulfed with flames shooting through the roof and the entire structure in danger of collapse. The fire then spread to its two-on-one neighbor with heat then causing damage to a third house.

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NFD was on the scene for hours battling the flames and putting out hot spots.

At least one of the homes - all of which were unoccupied - is a total loss. One firefighter was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center with a non-life-threatening heat-related injury.

Firefighters have been undergoing special training to learn how to best beat back blazes at tall-and-skinnies as the controversial and increasingly ubiquitous home design spreads throughout the city and Tuesday's fire puts into sharp focus concerns that were raised in December about safety after at least 85 such homes in and around The Nations were found to be too close to one another.

"If there were a fire, God forbid, the city of Nashville would be on the hook," Councilmember Mary Carolyn Roberts, The Nations' representative, told The Tennessean at the time. "This is a huge deal. This is not just a mistake. It's a colossal mistake. Now that we're aware of the problem, it's come to a grinding halt, but I'm going to defend my constituents. They're going to have to retrofit every single one of those houses."

Tuesday's Pecan Street fire is under investigation.

Photo via Nashville Fire Department