• About
    • About Us
    • What We Cover
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Our Advertisers
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Send News
  • Subscribe

Oak Ridge Today

  • Home
  • Sign in
  • News
    • Business
    • Community
    • Education
    • Government
    • Health
    • Police and Fire
    • U.S. Department of Energy
    • Weather
  • Sports
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Recreation
    • Rowing
    • Youth
  • Entertainment
    • Arts
    • Dancing
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Theater
  • Premium Content
  • Obituaries
  • Classifieds

Frozen sprinkler pipes burst, flood buildings across Oak Ridge

Posted at 7:40 pm January 7, 2014
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

 Oak Ridge Fire Department at Heritage Fellowship

The Oak Ridge Fire Department responds to a report of a frozen sprinkler system that burst at Heritage Fellowship on Tuesday afternoon.

Frozen sprinkler pipes burst and flooded buildings across Oak Ridge on Tuesday as a frigid arctic air mass lingered over parts of the central and eastern United States.

Oak Ridge firefighters said it’s likely there will be more calls on Wednesday as temperatures rise and frozen pipes thaw.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley provided a list of buildings where frozen sprinkler systems had burst. They included St. Mary’s School, the back side of the Staples building, a building at the Pine Ridge office complex, Centennial Village Apartments, a U.S. Department of Energy building on Laboratory Road, UBS Financial on East Tennessee Avenue, Weatherford Mortuary, Courtyards at Briarcliff, and Heritage Fellowship on North Illinois Avenue.

Broken Sprinkler System Pipe

Oak Ridge Fire Department Darryl Kerley shows a broken cast iron sprinkler system pipe.

Kerley said St. Mary’s has canceled Wednesday classes. Children at the Heritage Fellowship nursery were evacuated Tuesday afternoon and taken upstairs, where a few parents said they picked up their kids early.

Besides the broken sprinkler systems, there was also a gas stove fire on Stonebridge Way on Tuesday, Kerley said.

There were also broken water mains. The biggest was on North Illinois Avenue at West Outer Drive.

CS Associates Building Flooding

Flooding at the back side of the Staples building was caused by a sprinkler system that burst on Tuesday afternoon.

The arctic air has brought dangerously low temperatures and, in some cases, life-threatening wind chills to parts of the central and eastern United States. Wind chill advisories are in effect for much of the eastern two-thirds of the nation with wind chill values as low as -20 to -50 degrees Fahrenheit possible, the National Weather Service in Morristown said.

Temperatures are expected to start climbing Wednesday.

The forecast calls for a low of 10 degrees Fahrenheit near Oak Ridge on Tuesday night, with a high of 36 on Wednesday and a low of 20 on Wednesday night.

Filed Under: Oak Ridge, Police and Fire, Police and Fire, Slider, Top Stories, Weather Tagged With: arctic air, Centennial Village Apartments, Courtyards at Briarcliff, Darryl Kerley, Heritage Fellowship, National Weather Service, Oak Ridge Fire Department, sprinkler pipes, sprinkler systems, St. Mary’s School, Staples, U.S. Department of Energy, UBS Financial, weather, Weatherford Mortuary

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More Police and Fire News

Windrock wildfire controlled

The Tennessee Division of Forestry said Tuesday that the Windrock Mountain fire that began Thursday is controlled. On Tuesday afternoon, the size of the affected area was 328 acres with a containment percentage of 95 … [Read More...]

Minor traffic delays possible due to Secret City Half Marathon, 5K

Minor traffic delays are possible Saturday morning in Oak Ridge during the Secret City Half Marathon and 5K. Race Director Hannah Fatheree expects nearly 1,000 runners and walkers on city streets and … [Read More...]

Burn ban in effect in Oak Ridge, restrictions in OS

The City of Oak Ridge remains under a burn ban, and there are fire restrictions in Oliver Springs. Oak Ridge Fire Chief Travis Solomon issued a burn ban on November 5. "Due to the dry conditions in our region, no … [Read More...]

State: Rocky Top wildfire 100 percent contained

The Rocky Top wildfire that started last week and emitted smoke visible for miles had burned 397 acres and was 100 percent contained by mid-morning Thursday, according to the Tennessee Division of Forestry. In a press … [Read More...]

Rocky Top fire grows to 210 acres, 75 percent contained

The wildfire burning near Rocky Top has grown to an estimated 210 acres and is still 75 percent contained, officials with the Tennessee Department of Forestry said Tuesday. "Forestry is back on scene this morning," … [Read More...]

More Police and Fire

Recent Posts

  • Community Thanksgiving is Thursday
  • Windrock wildfire controlled
  • ORHS Masquers Showcase is Saturday
  • Minor traffic delays possible due to Secret City Half Marathon, 5K
  • Burn ban in effect in Oak Ridge, restrictions in OS
  • State: Rocky Top wildfire 100 percent contained
  • Rocky Top fire grows to 210 acres, 75 percent contained
  • AC man charged with murder
  • School bus driver arrested following alleged assault on elementary student
  • NNSA Notice of Availability

Search Oak Ridge Today

Copyright © 2023 Oak Ridge Today