Oak Ridge Today

Smoke from brush fires settles in Oak Ridge; burn ban, air quality alert in effect

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A brown-gray haze thickened over Oak Ridge on Monday, Nov. 7, 2016, and the smell of smoke hung in the air as firefighters battled blazes in East Tennessee and across the state. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 5:25 p.m.

A brown-gray haze thickened over Oak Ridge on Monday and the smell of smoke hung in the air as firefighters battled blazes in East Tennessee and across the state.

The haze was visible at least into west Knox County.

Anderson County and Oak Ridge both issued reminders that a burn ban is in effect. The Oak Ridge Police Department sent out a notice that the smoke in the air is due to numerous brush fires throughout the state, and the department asked residents to not call 911 to inquire about the cause.

The Tennessee Division of Forestry reported 96 active fires on Sunday afternoon, with 8,665 acres burned. (See a list of the fires here and a map here.)

Three active fires were reported in Anderson County, with 1,485 acres burned. [Read more…]

Two women escape fire that destroys log home in Clinton

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Two women escaped a fire that destroyed a home on Riverview Drive in south Clinton on Friday morning, Oct. 7, 2016, authorities said. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

CLINTON—Two women escaped a fire that destroyed a log home in Clinton on Friday morning, authorities said.

The fire at the two-story log home was reported at about 9:50 a.m. Friday on Riverview Drive in south Clinton.

One adult female inside at the time of the fire jumped from the second floor to escape, said Jeff Little, assistant chief of the Clinton Fire Department. She had what appeared to be minor injuries on Friday morning, Little said.

The woman’s mother also escaped from the fire. [Read more…]

Fire apparently starts with oily rags, causes heavy damage to Eagles building

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A fire caused heavy damage to the Fraternal Order of Eagles at 1650 Oak Ridge Turnpike early Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, authorities said. Damage is visible from a side door at the Eagles at about 4 a.m. Saturday. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 2:30 p.m. Aug. 14.

A fire that appears to have started with oily rags being stored improperly in a kitchen caused heavy damage to the Fraternal Order of Eagles on Oak Ridge Turnpike early Saturday, and the structure may have to be rebuilt, authorities said.

The fire was reported at about 2 a.m. Saturday at 1650 Oak Ridge Turnpike. The Eagles building, which has yellow siding, is the first building on the right side of the Turnpike as you head toward Kingston from Illinois Avenue.

There was heavy smoke coming out of all sides of the building when firefighters arrived, Oak Ridge Fire Chief Darryl Kerley said.

An Eagles member said the building had an alarm system, but there is no record of the alarm company calling 911 to report the fire, the Oak Ridge Fire Department said in a press release. Instead, a passing motorist saw the heavy smoke coming from the building and called 911 to report the fire. [Read more…]

Fires destroy two homes Friday, one in Oliver Springs, other on Dutch Valley Road

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Hen Valley Road Fire June 24 2016

A fire destroyed a home on Hen Valley Road in Oliver Springs late Friday, June 24, 2016. (Photo by Tom Scott)

 

OLIVER SPRINGS—Fires destroyed two homes on Friday, one in Oliver Springs and the other on Dutch Valley Road.

The first fire was reported at about 12:55 a.m. Friday at 1351 Dutch Valley Road in Anderson County.

The large, one-story, brick veneer home was completely on fire when the first units arrived from the nearby Marlow Fire Department Station 2 (located at the old Donovan School), fire photographer Tom Scott said. The Marlow Fire department responded with two engines and two tankers.

In response to mutual aid requests, the Oliver Springs Fire Department sent an engine and a rescue truck, and the Blair Fire Department sent an engine.

Anderson County Emergency Medical Services had a medic unit standing by at the scene. The fire units were on the scene until about 5 a.m. Friday, Scott said. The house was totally destroyed. [Read more…]

Crews fight fire inside former Magnet Mills; Clinton City Schools closed Friday

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Magnet Mills Fire Clinton April 7 2016

The former Magnet Mills in Clinton caught fire on Thursday evening, April 7, 2016. (Photo courtesy Philip Warfield)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 10 a.m. April 8.

CLINTON—Crews battled a fire inside the former Magnet Mills in Clinton on Thursday evening, and Clinton City Schools will be closed Friday, April 8.

Charles G. Seivers Boulevard was closed downtown Thursday night as crews fought the fire and prepared to remove items that were still smoldering inside.

Clinton City Schools said schools would be closed because of the fire and the roads that would be closed in the morning.

“This decision was made in an abundance of caution for the safety of our students and staff members,” school officials said.

The fire was reported at about 7:15 p.m. Thursday in one building at the former hosiery mill. The property includes two big, brick warehouse buildings next to CVS Pharmacy between Charles G. Seivers Boulevard and the Clinch River in downtown Clinton. [Read more…]

Man rescues woman from porch during house fire on Robertsville Road

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TJ Giles and Jacky Smith at Robertsville Road House Fire on March 25, 2016

Oak Ridge Fire Department Investigator Thomas (T.J.) Giles, left, talks to Jacky Smith, who carried a woman from a porch during a house fire on Robertsville Road on Friday evening, March 25, 2016. (Photo by Tom Scott)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 10:20 a.m.

An Oak Ridge man rescued a disoriented woman from a porch during a house fire on Robertsville Road on Friday evening, authorities said.

The fire was reported at 7:22 p.m. Friday at 394 Robertsville Road.

Firefighters found heavy fire and smoke coming from the windows and attic of the home when they arrived, Oak Ridge Fire Chief Darryl Kerley said.

Jacky L. Smith, of Oak Ridge, said he was driving west on Robertsville Road when he noticed smoke coming from the house. He turned around and found Ruth Stewart sitting on her front porch confused. He asked Stewart if she knew her house was on fire and she replied, “Yes, I was cooking, and the stove caught on fire,” Kerley said in a press release. [Read more…]

Firefighters stop Cedar Hill Park fire from spreading

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The Oak Ridge Fire Department douses a bench that caught fire, possibly due to cigarettes discarded in mulch, at Cedar Hill Park, a beloved community-built playground, on Tuesday, March 22, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A fire that burned a bench at Cedar Hill Park—a beloved community-built playground—might have been started by cigarettes discarded in mulch, authorities said.

The fire was reported at about 10:22 p.m. Tuesday. Firefighters were able to extinguish it within 10 minutes or less.

The quick response likely prevented additional damage to the playground on a windy night, Oak Ridge Fire Department Battalion Chief David Harrington said.

Firefighters don’t think the fire was intentional, Harrington said.

He said the bench was made of a plastic composite-like material. [Read more…]

Comfort Inn closed for few days after fire on Saturday

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The Comfort Inn in Oak Ridge will be closed for a few days for renovations after a fire on the fourth floor early Saturday, March 19, 2016, officials said. (Photo by Tom Scott)

 

The Comfort Inn in Oak Ridge will be closed for a few days for renovations after a fire on the fourth floor of the five-story hotel early Saturday, officials said.

The fire was reported at 5:15 a.m. Saturday in an air-conditioning unit in a window area at the end of the hallway on the fourth floor.

The 112-room hotel was more than 90 percent occupied with rowers from Oak Ridge Marina and off-road-vehicle riders from Windrock Park north of Oliver Springs, authorities said.

The Oak Ridge Fire Department said the hotel’s sprinkler system turned on automatically and helped keep the fire under control, which likely saved lives and property.

“There’s no doubt the sprinkler system helped keep the fire from getting any larger,” Oak Ridge Fire Chief Darryl Kerley said. [Read more…]

Woman escapes kitchen fire, taken to hospital; dog rescued

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A resident of a Scarboro home escaped a kitchen fire on Sunday night, Feb. 14, 2016, and firefighters and police officers rescued a dog from the home. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

A resident of a Scarboro home escaped a kitchen fire on Sunday night, and firefighters and police officers rescued a dog from the home.

The kitchen fire was reported at 7:12 p.m. Sunday at 247 South Benedict Avenue. Firefighters were able to extinguish it within about 10 minutes or less.

Marie Woolin, a resident who was home alone at the time, was outside when firefighters arrived, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said. Neighbors helped her to a car, and she was later taken by ambulance to Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge for evaluation. She was released later Sunday night, Kerley said.

The fire appears to have started on a stove and to be cooking-related, Kerley said. It was reported to have caused significant damage to the kitchen, where it burned cabinets, and there was reported to be smoke and water damage in the rest of the house. [Read more…]

Man injured in truck fire; others OK as fuel ignites

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The driver of a pickup truck that caught on fire on Friday afternoon, Nov. 27, 2015, was taken to the hospital with minor burns, and emergency workers were not injured when fuel vapors ignited after the fire was first extinguished, authorities said. Pictured above are ORFD Battalion Chief Eric Rackard, left, and ORPD Officer Christopher Wallace. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The driver of a pickup truck that caught on fire Friday afternoon was taken to the hospital with minor burns, and emergency workers were not injured when fuel vapors ignited after the fire was first extinguished, authorities said.

The 62-year-old man tried to open the hood of the blue Ford Ranger and put out the fire with a fire extinguisher, said Oak Ridge Fire Department Battalion Chief Eric Rackard. The man, who was not identified, received minor burns on both hands.

The cause of the fire at Diversicare of Oak Ridge, on Elmhurst Drive near Hank’s Market on Emory Valley Road, was unknown.

But a fuel line on the engine ruptured, and gasoline vapors ignited while emergency workers tried to plug the line.

“Anytime you see that, you worry,” Rackard said. [Read more…]

Driver gone, but reports to ER later after vehicle goes off road, ignites

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The driver was gone but reported to an emergency room later after a Ford Explorer went about 40 feet down an embankment along South Illinois Avenue and started on fire on Friday, Nov. 20, 2015, authorities said. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The driver was gone when firefighters responded, but the driver reported to an emergency room later after a Ford Explorer went about 40 feet down an embankment along South Illinois Avenue and started on fire last Friday, authorities said.

The vehicle went down an embankment on the right side of the road headed down a big hill into central Oak Ridge, just south of Scarboro Road/Lafayette Drive, on Friday, November 20. The Explorer went sideways down the embankment as it went down the hill and ended up next to a culvert, Oak Ridge Fire Department Battalion Chief David Harrington said.

The northbound lanes of South Illinois Avenue were temporarily blocked as firefighters put out the vehicle fire. [Read more…]

Hunting fire might have started OS forest fire, official says

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Walden-Ridge-Fire-Nov-24-2015

A hunting fire might have started a fire on Walden Ridge near downtown Oliver Springs on Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 24, 2015, a state official said. Firefighters set up fire lines in a 12-acre area to control and contain the fire. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 9:40 a.m. Nov. 25.

OLIVER SPRINGS—A hunting fire might have started the Tuesday afternoon fire on Walden Ridge near downtown Oliver Springs, a state official said.

The fire was reported to have covered about one to two acres. Firefighters contained it to a 12-acre area, said Bruce Miller of the Tennessee Division of Forestry in Anderson County.

Smoke was reported in the area at about 1:50 p.m. Tuesday.

The fire was on a steep, rough, rocky hillside above Railroad Avenue near downtown Oliver Springs. Firefighters used hand tools and leaf blowers to dig fire lines, and they had the fire controlled by about 7 p.m. Miller expected it to be contained within the hour. State officials would check on the fire Wednesday morning, he said. [Read more…]