GATLINBURG, Tenn. — Newly released dashcam video gives a firsthand look at a city on fire.
Sevierville police responded at around 10 p.m. the night the fire spread to the city.
First responders found themselves face to face with a deadly inferno.
“I can’t believe all this is on fire. The whole town is on fire. Looks like a ghost town.”
The video showed officers driving over blowing embers and passing hundreds of families fleeing the fire zone.
“This is the craziest thing that I’ve ever seen.”
They put aside their shock and fear, and went into rescue mode.
“This is the police. Mandatory evacuations. Please leave the property.”
In some of the video, they sped through town, warning home and business owners of the danger.
They begged those still on the mountain to evacuate.
“Get your (bleep) out of the house now! Go! We’ll arrest you. C’mon. Get in the car! The fire is over that bridge! Let’s go! Come on!”
They spent hours driving through abandoned neighborhoods looking for anyone left behind.
“We got everybody that we could find. We tried to get everybody we can.”
“They haven’t found them yet but there are people who have died in this.”
More than 14,000 people fled Gatlinburg that night.
Fourteen were killed.
The fires caused more than $1 billion in damage.