Rain collapses Jefferson County school roof, causes derailment in west Knoxville

DANDRIDGE, Tenn. - Continuous heavy rain is blamed for the collapse of a section of the roof at the Jefferson County High School vocational building.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reported firefighters were called early Sunday afternoon and found about 5,000 square feet of the roof caved in.

In other holiday weekend weather incidents, firefighters and a swift-water rescue team brought 11 people riding inner tubes to safety in Blount County as the Little River ran high with rainwater.

Three Norfolk Southern locomotives and a rail car came off the tracks Sunday in west Knoxville after striking a tree that fell onto the rails. There was a similar incident Saturday night in Oliver Springs. No injuries were reported in either case.

Knoxville has received 4.9 inches of rain so far in July.

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