Oak Ridge Today

Most apartment residents displaced by Thanksgiving fire calls can return home

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Utica Circle Fire

An apartment fire at 312 Utica Circle that was allegedly set deliberately heavily damaged one home, and other residents in the eight-unit building were displaced during the Thanksgiving weekend. (Photos by Tom Scott)

ORFD chief says Utica Circle fire was set

Power has been restored to an Applewood Apartments building on Hillside Road after a Thanksgiving Day electrical short displaced two dozen residents, and most of another two dozen residents can move back into McKenzie Acres apartments on Utica Circle, two days after they were displaced by a Saturday night fire, city officials said Monday.

The two fire calls in three days displaced about 50 people during the Thanksgiving weekend. The Red Cross has helped the residents with food and shelter, and residents and restaurants have pitched in as well.

The city hoped to get the residents back into their buildings today, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said Monday afternoon. [Read more…]

Second apartment fire this week displaces another two dozen residents

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Utica Circle Fire

An apartment fire at 312 Utica Circle heavily damaged one home, and other residents in the eight-unit building will not be able to stay at home Saturday night. (Photos by Tom Scott)

The second apartment fire in Oak Ridge since Thursday has displaced another two dozen residents.

The Saturday night fire started at about 9:22 p.m. in the 300 block of Utica Circle at McKenzie Acres. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the second-story blaze, and no one was injured.

But roughly 25 residents, including children, will not be able to return home to the eight-unit building tonight, authorities said. The Red Cross was on its way to Utica Circle to help the residents, who huddled outside in pajamas, coats, gloves, and hats as temperatures dropped to freezing at about 11 p.m. Saturday. [Read more…]

Small electrical fire displaces two dozen Applewood residents

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Applewood Apartments Building Residents

A small electrical fire at the Applewood Apartments on Hillside Road around noon Thursday displaced about two dozen residents. Above, Oak Ridge Fire Department Battalion Chief Marty Griffith talks to residents. (Photos by Tom Scott)

A small electrical fire at the Applewood Apartments on Hillside Road around noon Thursday displaced about two dozen residents, authorities said.

The fire was caused by an electrical short in the main power supply leading into the distribution system in the basement of a building at 184 Hillside Road, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said.

The fire at the basement fuse box was quickly extinguished with an extinguisher, ORFD Battalion Chief Marty Griffith said. He said a circuit breaker did its job, turning off power and minimizing damage. [Read more…]

Man pistol-whipped, pregnant woman blacks out during home invasion

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Duran Maszae Lee

Duran Maszae Lee

An Oak Ridge man was allegedly hit in the head and face with a pistol, and a woman who is nine months pregnant blacked out from fear when a suspect pointed a silver revolver at her during a Friday night home invasion on Dewey Road, authorities said.

The suspects allegedly stole a Sentry safe containing $3,000 from a closet and fled in a vehicle before officers arrived.

But the white 2008 Cadillac CTS four-door sedan crashed into a utility pole a few minutes later on Delaware Avenue, less than a mile from the Dewey Road home, an Oak Ridge Police Department crash report said.

Duran Maszae Lee, 29, who was the driver and also a home invasion suspect, allegedly had three plastic baggies in his rear pocket, and they contained a green leafy-like plant substance believed to be marijuana, according to affidavits filed in Anderson County General Sessions Court. The baggies contained a total of 21.9 grams of suspected marijuana packaged for sale, ORPD Detective Kevin Craig said. [Read more…]

No injuries reported, but SR 95 shut down when coal truck trailer overturns

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Highway 95 Coal Truck Trailer

A trailer hauling coal came loose from a southbound truck and overturned in a ditch next to Highway 95 between Bethel Valley Road and Melton Hill Dam on Sunday night.

No injuries were reported, but part of Highway 95 was temporarily shut down Sunday night after a coal trailer separated from a southbound truck and overturned in a ditch between Bethel Valley Road and Melton Hill Dam.

The accident was reported at about 6:15 p.m. Sunday. The highway remained shut down more than two hours later. [Read more…]

One suspect arrested after home invasion, car crash on Friday night

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Duran Maszae Lee

Duran Maszae Lee

Police arrested one suspect in a Friday night home invasion on Dewey Road after a vehicle crashed into a utility pole on Delaware Avenue, authorities said.

The home invasion was reported at about 10 p.m. Friday. The suspects fled in a vehicle before officers arrived, Oak Ridge Police Department Lt. Robin Smith said in a statement Saturday night.

“Moments later, it was reported that a vehicle had struck a utility pole on Delaware Avenue,” Smith said. “At the crash scene, officers located one of the suspects from the home invasion.” [Read more…]

Fire causes damage to auto repair garage in Marlow

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Jackson Paving Co. Fire

Oliver Springs firefighter Adam Daugherty uses a thermal imaging camera to check for fire in the overhead area. (Photos by Tom Scott)

A fire caused major damage to a truck being repaired in a large garage in Marlow, and it caused moderate damage to repair equipment and the building.

The fire at Jackson Paving Co. on Oliver Springs Highway occurred at about 10:15 a.m. Friday.

The fire at the large auto repair garage occurred in the Marlow Fire Department area. But mutual aid was requested from the Oliver Springs and Oak Ridge fire departments because of the combustible nature of the materials used. [Read more…]

Blasting continues at Kroger Marketplace site on Monday

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Kroger Marketplace Site Plan

Kroger Marketplace Site Plan

Blasting at the Kroger Marketplace construction site is scheduled to continue at 2 p.m. Monday.

Police officers will stop traffic on Illinois Avenue and Oak Ridge Turnpike for the duration of the blast, which will be about three to five minutes, a press release said.

During the blasting, Illinois Avenue traffic will be blocked from Robertsville Road to Oak Ridge Turnpike, and Oak Ridge Turnpike traffic will be blocked from the Illinois-Turnpike intersection east to Robertsville Road. [Read more…]

WYSH: Blind man’s custom-made bicycle stolen

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Information from WYSH Radio

A custom-made bicycle that allows a legally blind man to get around town was stolen from outside an Oak Ridge bookstore last week, and police are investigating.

The theft occurred Thursday outside the Books-A-Million in Oak Ridge, and victim Tim Collins, who suffers from macular degeneration, said it is his only means of transportation.

Police were able to dust the man’s helmet and flag, which the thieves left behind, for fingerprints and their investigation is ongoing. The bike is valued at $1,800. [Read more…]

ORPD taking applications for Citizens Police Academy

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The Oak Ridge Police Department is now taking applications for the Citizens Police Academy, which will begin on Jan. 23 and run through March 27, 2014.

The Citizens Police Academy allows citizens to gain knowledge of how the Oak Ridge Police Department is organized and learn more about its functions, as well as improve understanding of the challenges in serving and protecting the community, a press release said. It requires a 10-week commitment from the participants and will be held one night a week, on Thursdays beginning at 6 p.m. and ending at 9 p.m. [Read more…]

Red light camera ‘scam’ actually an ORAU training exercise

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Note: This story was last updated at 9:25 a.m. Nov. 19.

The red light camera scam that authorities warned about on Monday evening was actually a training exercise intended to only be used internally at Oak Ridge Associated Universities, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.

The e-mails were created as part of ORAU’s cybersecurity training, and they were meant to help educate employees about so-called “phishing” scams.

The e-mails told recipients they had been captured on camera running a red light and had to pay a $50 fine. They instructed recipients to pay a fine through a PayPal link and warned them they could be subject to an extra $95 fee if they failed to do so. [Read more…]

Neighborhood Watch hosts Applebee’s pancake breakfast on Saturday

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Neighborhood Watch Logo

The Oak Ridge Neighborhood Watch Program will host a pancake breakfast from 8-10 a.m. Saturday at Applebee’s restaurant in Oak Ridge.

Tickets are $5 per person. Tickets for the all-you-can-eat breakfast may be purchased from Neighborhood Watch district leaders in advance and at the door the day of the event.

Proceeds from the breakfast will support the Neighborhood Watch, a program that supports groups of neighbors who organize and partner with the Oak Ridge Police Department to report suspicious activity and keep watch on neighbors’ homes. The program helps police reduce crime and keep neighborhoods safe, and it helps neighbors improve the quality of life in their communities. [Read more…]