Will Chimney Rock Be Bulldozed? Administrator Debunks Social Media Claims

The internet was buzzing with rumours after Hurricane Helene that the administration was planning to bulldoze Chimney Rock. However, an administrator with the village of Chimney Rock, North Carolina, Stephen Duncan, has debunked all such rumours and also expressed his frustration in an interview with WCNC Charlotte on Thursday.

Social Media Posts Claiming Chimney Rock Will Be Bulldozed Debunked by Administrator

Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on the Chimney Rock village and, to compound the miseries of the residents, online posts started circulating this week that the administration intended to bulldoze the entire village to clear out the destruction left by Hurricane Helene. The online posts quoted federal officials telling village leaders about the administration’s plans.

Most of the posts were shared by copying and pasting texts which stated,

“Government officials had a town meeting with Chimney Rock residents and basically told them the town was being bulldozed, bodies and all, and the land was being seized by the federal government.”

The posts also stated that the Federal Government would take ownership of any homes which are still standing in the aftermath of the hurricane.

However, Stephen Duncan has categorically stated that there is no such plan and any attempts in this direction will be met with legal action from Chimney Rock.

Local and federal officials have also debunked the rumours, and Rutherford County Emergency Management in North Carolina wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday, Oct. 3:

“There was no ‘special meeting’ held in Chimney Rock on October 2nd involving discussions of federal, state, or local governments seizing the town. These claims are entirely false. There have been no discussions or actions taken by the federal, state, or local government related to property seizure in Chimney Rock or any other part of Rutherford County,” where the mountain town is located.

Hurricane Helene has wreaked havoc, and Chimney Rock was one of Helene’s worst-hit places. Chimney Rock is a small village in Rutherford County and faced the brunt of the hurricane, which has killed more than 200 people until Thursday, and almost half of the casualties are from North Carolina alone. Villagers contend that the hurricane has levelled 40% of the village and buildings, streets, and homes enduring widespread damage.

Tariq Bokhari, a Charlotte city councilmember, wrote on X:

“It’s so overwhelming you don’t even know how to fathom what recovery looks like, let alone where to start. It’s going to be a long path to recovery that all levels of stakeholders are going to need.”

Also Read: Elon Musk Joins Donald Trump’s Rally, Hails the Former President as ‘Brave,’ and Shows Deft Dance Moves