Police asking for information about arson on Waddell Circle

Image by Oak Ridge Police Department

The Oak Ridge Police Department is asking for tips about an arson on Waddell Circle on Sunday, July 11.

The Oak Ridge Fire Department had responded to a residential fire in a quadplex that evening. (That was the same evening widespread power outages and partial power outages were reported in Oak Ridge.)

The fire on Waddell Circle was later determined to be set intentionally, and ORPD investigators responded to the fire.

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ORFD has new truck to fight brush fires

The Oak Ridge Fire Department has a new truck designed for putting out brush fires. (Photo by ORFD)

The Oak Ridge Fire Department has a new truck designed to fight brush fires.

The new vehicle, Brush 1, was purchased by the city, and the equipment was purchased with a grant received from Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, for off-site emergency planning and response in the amount of $16,000.

It has a 300-gallon per minute Hale pump with a 300-gallon capacity water tank and a five-gallon foam storage tank, a press release said.

It can pump water through a bumper-mounted nozzle, which is operated via joystick inside the cab, while the vehicle is being driven so fire along the roadside can be contained and extinguished. This prevents having to deploy a hose line for a small area and helps to cover a larger area in less time, the press release said.

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