Authorities believe they have extinguished a fire that tore through a Pigeon Forge landmark Tuesday morning, destroying the Three Bears Gift Shop. The shop touts live bears for tourists to feed, and when firefighters arrived early Tuesday morning they were greeted by flames shooting through the roof.
 
None of the bears were injured, according to Pigeon Forge Fire Chief Tony Watson. He said the animals are being kept in a safe location, but he declined to release specifics, citing concerns about the bears' safety. Authorities haven't determined what caused the fire, Watson said. "It's still too hot for us to get in there," he said. Firefighters were alerted at 3:57 a.m. of the "large commercial fire" at the business at 2861 Parkway. The chief said he arrived at the scene within three minutes of the call. "It was already through the roof when we arrived," Watson said. About 45 firefighters with 10 units attacked the flames consuming the 15,000-square-foot, two-story gift shop, the chief said. There were no sprinklers in the building. Firefighters from Gatlinburg and Sevierville joined the effort. No one was injured.
 
"The five bears seem to be fine," Watson said. "They're in the back, and it's all concrete and steel so they were able to keep the flames out of there." Firefighters set up fans in the area where the bears are to keep smoke from invading the bears' living space, Watson said.
Watson said firefighters had control of the flames about 5 a.m., but he said the business was "totally consumed by flames." Firefighters also had to keep flames from jumping to the nearby Pigeon Forge Gem Mine, which sustained water damage. Watson said a track hoe was brought in at one point to knock down some walls that continued to conceal flames, but by 3:45 p.m. it appeared that no more smoke or flames were present.