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Judge weighing future of Gatlinburg wildfire disaster lawsuit

Judge Thomas Phillips heard arguments in the case Monday. The government wants to dismiss the lawsuit, which seeks millions of dollars in compensation.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A federal judge in Knoxville is now weighing whether to let a lawsuit proceed that alleges the National Park Service mishandled the blaze that led to the Gatlinburg wildfire disaster.

Judge Thomas Phillips heard arguments in the case Monday.

The government wants to dismiss the lawsuit, which seeks millions of dollars in compensation.

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Among the people suing is Michael Reed, whose wife and two young daughters died in the wildfire November 28, 2016.

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In all, fourteen people died because of the blaze.

It had started five days earlier as a small blaze at Chimney Tops 2 in the Smokies.

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Driven by high winds it spread until it threatened most of downtown Gatlinburg.

More than 2,400 buildings were damaged or destroyed.

Reed and others filed the lawsuit last year against the federal government.

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