Fire Hits Tennessee Paper, Publisher Taken to Hospital

By: A fire that broke out in a stack of wooden pallets behind The Daily Times newspaper's offices in Maryville spread up a back wall and sent two officers of the paper to a hospital.

Maryville police and fire inspectors are investigating the blaze that began Monday afternoon, but was extinguished in about five minutes by firefighters.

Times Publisher Max Crotser was taken to Blount Memorial Hospital by ambulance, the paper reports, and Comptroller Danny Williamson was also treated in the emergency room.

Maryville Fire Chief Ed Mitchell said flames were rolling across the ceiling in the publisher's office.

The newspaper reported Crotser told staffers he expected to be released from the hospital Monday night.

The printing press was not damaged.