GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WATE) — The body of the person found in the rubble of a fire in downtown Gatlinburg on Oct. 9 has been identified 5 days later.
The victim who died in the fire has been identified as Joe Martin Bates, 54, according to Seth Butler, public information officer for the City of Gatlinburg.
The city said crews working the structure fire that began early Sunday morning discovered the body. The cause of death remains under investigation.
The fire occurred in the 700 block of Parkway, closing the main roadway into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The city also said Gatlinburg Fire Department crews were actively working hotspots through Monday morning. The Parkway in downtown, a main thoroughfare to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, reopened Monday afternoon.
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Demolition of the fire-damaged building was completed this week by a private contractor, the city said. Sidewalks in downtown Gatlinburg reopened as well.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Gatlinburg Fire Department, Gatlinburg Police Department and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. If anyone has any information on the fire, Gatlinburg authorities ask you to contact the Tennessee Arson Hotline at 1-800-762-3017 or the Gatlinburg Fire Department at 865-436-5112.
EDITORS NOTE: This story has been updated since it was originally published.
