Rutherford County, TN - Eagleville and Christiana communities sustained major damage due to severe thunderstorms and flooding impacting Rutherford County Wednesday night.

Mayor Joe Carr said,” Our Public Safety team is working around the clock to serve the community. I’m thankful to have such expertise in Rutherford County.”

The mayor visit Rutherford County School’s Director Jimmy Sullivan and his family at Vanderbilt Hospital. As reported on WGNS, Dr. Sullivan’s 10-year-old son Asher was sucked through a storm drain and paramedics performed CPR. The youngster began breathing, but there are concerns for other issues.

Mayor Carr told WGNS…

Rutherford County Emergency Management (RCEMA) , Sheriff's deputies, Rutherford County Highway Department, and the Tennessee Department of Transportation crews responded to several severe weather related calls throughout the county due to multiple rounds of storms that pummeled Rutherford
County.

Most areas of the county received over six inches of rain. The West Fork Stones River went from 2.5 feet to almost 20 feet by 8 a.m. Thursday. Multiple structures reported wind or flood damage. Many citizens took shelter in the three Public Health & Safety buildings. Building Codes staff and RCEMA volunteers surveyed the damage to provide assessments to determine the event footprint.

Multiple water rescues took place over night with one out of county mutual aid response request. Various roads were closed due to high water and debris.

To assist in storm clean-up efforts, the Tennessee Department of Environmental and Conservation has certain open burn exceptions.

Rutherford County Fire Marshal Joshua Sanders said the Fire Marshal’s office is happy to answer any questions regarding the open burning of vegetative debris.
The Fire Marshal’s office can be reached at 615-907-3600. Vegetative debris can be burned until May 15.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Air Pollution Control, open burning rules include an exception for anyone conducting open burning of materials resulting only from a natural disaster, subject to certain conditions. More information about open burning can be found at https://tn.gov/environment/air/open-burning.htm