Knox County, TN Fire Regulations: Propane Storage (2026)

Knox County adopted the 2018 International Fire Code by reference under Sec. 30-31 of the county code, then amended it through Sec. 30-32 (Ord. No. O-18-10-101, adopted November 19, 2018). One of those amendments inserts an entirely new subsection, Section 912.2.3, titled "Hazards," into the IFC's fire protection systems chapter. It reads: "Gas meters, propane cylinders, electrical devices or any other product or device that could become a fire, explosion or electrical hazard shall be located a minimum of 15 feet from connections."

The "connections" referenced are fire department connections (FDCs), the standpipe and sprinkler inlets firefighters hook hoses to during a fire, governed by the surrounding Section 912.2 "Location" and 912.2.1 "Visible location" provisions adopted in the same amendment package. Those neighboring sections require the FDC to sit on the street side of the building (or an addressed side) and be marked with a permanent sign bearing red "FDC" lettering at least six inches high on a white background. Section 912.4.2, also amended, cross-references 912.2.3 directly for the clear-space requirement around the connection itself.

Because this chapter of the IFC applies to buildings equipped with automatic sprinkler or standpipe systems, the 15-foot clearance reaches commercial, multi-family and other code-regulated structures with an FDC rather than a detached propane tank at a single-family home. Knox County's Office of Code Administration retains the amended IFC on file for public inspection and enforces the clearance during fire code plan review and inspection of new and renovated commercial construction.