World’s largest treehouse burns down in Tennessee

by: WATE 6 staff

Posted: Oct 23, 2019 / 09:13 AM EDT / Updated: Oct 23, 2019 / 09:14 AM EDT

CROSSVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) – An East Tennessee landmark is now completely gone after a fire late Tuesday night.

Cumberland County Fire Rescue responded to a fire at Minister’s Treehouse in Crossville around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. We’re told the entire building burned to the ground in about 15 minutes.

No injuries have been reported. There has been no indication of what caused the fire.

The ten-story building stood over 90 feet tall and took over a decade to complete. Landscaper Horace Burgess bought the land outside Crossville in the early 90s. Burgess became ordained as a minister and began working on the project after he said God told him to build him a treehouse.

The treehouse became a popular destination for church groups and tourists alike. The Minister’s Treehouse was closed as a tourist attraction by Fire Marshalls in 2012 due to the dilapidated condition of the structure.

This is a developing story and we’ll continue to update the details as they become available.