Fire Archives - Oak Ridge Today

ORFD swimmers rescue stranded canoeist

Posted at 3:12 pm April 13, 2018
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

Two Oak Ridge Fire Department swimmers rescued a man who had fallen out of a canoe near Clark Center Park in south Oak Ridge on Thursday afternoon, April 12, 2018, authorities said. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Oak Ridge Fire Department)

Two Oak Ridge Fire Department swimmers rescued a man who had fallen out of a canoe near Clark Center Park in south Oak Ridge on Thursday afternoon, authorities said.

The man, who was not identified, cannot swim, but he was wearing a life jacket, the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release Friday. He was hanging onto a fence post in the water after falling out of his canoe, but he was cold and could not get himself back into the overturned canoe or to the shore, the press release said.

The Oak Ridge 911 dispatch center had received a call that a canoe had overturned in the cove at the entrance to Clark Center Park at about 3:35 p.m. Thursday.

Oak Ridge Fire Department Captain Jason Benjamin has been training a crew of firefighters to become rescue swimmers during the past 24 months, and their training was put to the test on Thursday, the press release said. [Read more…]

Man escapes, home destroyed by fire

Posted at 10:07 am January 5, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

A man escaped with minor injuries, but a home was destroyed in a fire on Friday morning, Jan. 5, 2018, on Lindale Lane in west Oak Ridge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A man escaped with minor injuries, but a home was destroyed in a Friday morning fire on Lindale Lane in west Oak Ridge.

The fire was reported at about 6:30 a.m. Friday at 15 Lindale Lane, which is off West Lincoln Road just north of the Dollar General store.

The fire was reported to have started in the basement, where there is a garage in a corner of the house. The cause was unknown, Oak Ridge Fire Chief Darryl Kerley said Friday morning.

The fire was fueled by natural gas, Kerley said. A gas line comes into the house in that area, and there is a water heater next to the gas line in the garage, he said.

The fire burned up a wall on that side of the house, went into the attic, and set the attic on fire, Kerley said. [Read more…]

Graves Gap fire burned more than 300 acres

Posted at 11:47 pm November 30, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The mountaintop fire at Graves Gap along Highway 116 in north Anderson County burned more than 300 acres this week, a state official said Thursday afternoon, Nov. 30, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

GRAVES GAP—The mountaintop fire at Graves Gap in north Anderson County burned more than 300 acres this week, a state official said Thursday afternoon.

The fire off New River Highway (Highway 116) burned about 377 acres, said Nathan Waters, assistant district forester in the Tennessee Division of Forestry Administration’s East Tennessee District.

It was officially called the Switchback Fire. Graves Gap is near the top of a mountain reached by a series of switchbacks on New River Highway. It is between Frost Bottom Road and Briceville Highway, which connect Oliver Springs and Briceville, and New River and Rosedale.

The cause of the Graves Gap fire is under investigation, Waters said. He wasn’t aware of any structures that were endangered, although there are homes and churches near the mountaintop. [Read more…]

Forest fire northwest of Oliver Springs grew to 300 acres

Posted at 8:57 pm November 28, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The forest fire reported on Big Brushy Mountain between Oliver Springs and Petros on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2017, grew to 300 acres, and it was reported to have containment lines around it on Tuesday, Nov. 28. The fire is pictured above from State Route 62 near Back Petros Road on Monday, Nov. 27. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

PETROS—The forest fire reported between Oliver Springs and Petros on Sunday grew to 300 acres, a spokesperson said Tuesday.

Firefighters were reported to have containment lines around the fire, said Nathan Waters, assistant district forester in the Tennessee Division of Forestry Administration’s East Tennessee District.

The fire, about seven miles northwest of Oliver Springs and a few miles south of Petros, was reported at about 4 p.m. Sunday. On Monday, Waters said the cause was under investigation.

It hadn’t endangered any structures, Waters said Tuesday evening. [Read more…]

Woman escapes, pets evacuated after lightning strikes home, sparking fire

Posted at 2:56 pm September 5, 2017
By John Huotari 2 Comments

A woman escaped and pets were evacuated after lightning struck a home on Albion Road in east Oak Ridge on Tuesday morning, Sept. 5, 2017, likely destroying the residence, authorities said. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A woman escaped and pets were evacuated after lightning struck a home in east Oak Ridge on Tuesday morning, sparking a fire and likely destroying the residence, authorities said.

The lightning strike was reported at 105 Albion Road at 9:39 a.m. Tuesday. The home is just north of Emory Valley Road and just west of Melton Lake Drive.

The lighting strike occurred roughly in the center of the home, and it started an attic fire that spread across the house.

The female resident was watching television and she felt it, said Gary Williamson, Oak Ridge Fire Department engineer and investigator. She got out of her chair to investigate and saw smoke coming out of outlets and vents. The woman, who was reported to be okay, went to a neighbor’s house.

Oak Ridge Fire Chief Darryl Kerley arrived quickly and reported that the fire was already through the roof, Williamson said. [Read more…]

Fireworks suspected, reward offered in wildfire in west Oak Ridge on Saturday

Posted at 9:52 am March 28, 2017
By John Huotari 3 Comments

The U.S. Department of Energy is offering a reward for a wildfire on federal property on Saturday afternoon, March 25, 2017, west of Wisconsin Avenue and south of Whippoorwill Drive. Fireworks are suspected as the cause. (Photo courtesy DOE/City of Oak Ridge)

The City of Oak Ridge is offering a $500 reward for information that helps resolve what happened in a wildfire on federal property in west Oak Ridge on Saturday afternoon, a press release said. Fireworks are suspected as the cause of the fire.

The brush fire was reported on U.S. Department of Energy land at about 12:27 p.m. Saturday, March 25, west of Wisconsin Avenue and south of Whippoorwill Drive. It was below, or to the south of, a water tower near Whippoorwill Drive. There are homes just to the north of the water tower, and there are homes east of Wisconsin Avenue.

When firefighters arrived Saturday afternoon, they could not locate a fire, but there was smoke in the area, DOE said in a press release Tuesday.

“While the engine was looking for the fire, a hiker came down the trail and reported the fire was located several hundred yards off the road in the woods,” the press release said. “Engine 1 crew began hiking toward the reported location and was able to find the fire. At that time, the fire was approximately five acres and growing.”

The Oak Ridge Fire Department immediately requested assistance from the Tennessee Division of Forestry to respond with bulldozers to cut fire lines around the fire. The battalion chief also requested representatives from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Division of Forestry, since the fire was burning on U.S. Department of Energy property. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge firefighters help rescue 12 people trapped in cars surrounded by fires near Dollywood

Posted at 3:03 pm November 30, 2016
By John Huotari 2 Comments

People being removed from vehicles while Oak Ridge Fire Department crews helped respond to the Sevier County wildfire starting Monday, Nov. 29, 2016. (Photo by Oak Ridge Fire Chief Darryl Kerley)

People being removed from vehicles while Oak Ridge Fire Department crews help respond to the wildfires that raged across Sevier County on Monday, Nov. 29, 2016. (Photo by Oak Ridge Fire Chief Darryl Kerley)

Note: This story was last updated at 4:30 p.m.

Oak Ridge firefighters helped rescue 12 people and four dogs from three cars surrounded by fires behind Dollywood near Pigeon Forge on Monday.

The 12 visitors had been staying in rental cabins behind the Dollywood theme park.

The rescue happened at about 11 p.m. Monday after wildfires fueled by high winds spread from Chimney Tops in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the Gatlinburg area.

Before the rescue, an Oak Ridge Fire Department crew, along with five Maryville firefighters, had responded to several fire-related situations in Pigeon Forge, most of them in the Dollywood area, a City of Oak Ridge press release said. Pigeon Forge is near Gatlinburg.

At about 11 p.m., the firefighters were dispatched to Mitchell Road to help a man trapped in a cabin with fire all around him. But firefighters were unable to get there because the road was blocked by downed trees and power poles, the press release said. Firefighters began cutting trees until they encountered downed power lines and transformers.

Once Sevier County Electric System workers arrived and cut electrical power to the area, the crew again entered the fire area to rescue the man, the press release said. [Read more…]

Local fire departments send crews to help fight Gatlinburg wildfires

Posted at 10:25 am November 29, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

tennessee-highway-patrol-walks-people-out-of-gatlinburg

Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers walked into areas of Gatlinburg that were surrounded by fire to remove those who were trapped by flames in fires that started Monday, Nov. 28, 2016. (Photo by THP)

Note: This story was last updated at 4:50 p.m.

Fire departments in Oak Ridge, Clinton, Oliver Springs, and Marlow sent crews to help fight the fast-moving wildfires that started burning in the Gatlinburg area on Monday.

The Oak Ridge Fire Department was helping crews in the area around Gatlinburg, a mountain town near Great Smoky Mountains National Park, on Monday night, the City of Oak Ridge said.

Oak Ridge Police Department officers were also on standby, the city said.

Tuesday morning, firefighter Jordan Alcorn said it was a long night, but the Engine 2 crew was on Interstate 40 West headed home.

“Thank you all for the prayers and kind words, that fight is not over, so keep our relief in your prayers!” Alcorn said.

Later Tuesday morning, the city said Oak Ridge Fire Department crews were continuing to help battle the Great Smoky Mountains wildfire.

“There is massive damage and reports of people injured or missing,” the city said. “Please continue to keep everyone affected by this in your thoughts and prayers today.”

Also Tuesday morning, Clinton Fire Chief Archie Brummitt said the Clinton Fire Department was in Gatlinburg in Sevier County. One CFD engine and five firemen responded Monday night around midnight, Brummitt said. [Read more…]

Two forest fires burn near Petros

Posted at 9:11 pm November 23, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

The Little Brushy fire burns on a ridge above Highway 62 near Petros-Joyner School and the intersection with Highway 116 on Wednesday evening, Nov. 23, 2016. The fire is a few miles south of Petros. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 10:15 a.m. Nov. 24.

PETROS—One forest fire that has burned close to 800 acres since Sunday had scorched down to the north side of Petros by Wednesday evening, and a second nearby mountain fire that residents said started Wednesday morning billowed smoke across a section of Highway 62 south of Petros, near Petros-Joyner School in Morgan County.

The first fire, the one that firefighters have been battling since Sunday, is the Bald Knob Road fire. It’s named for a road that runs east out of Petros. It had charred 790 acres as of noon Wednesday, according to the Tennessee Division of Forestry. The fire is a suspected arson, and it was 60 percent contained on Wednesday afternoon. On Wednesday evening, firefighters appeared to have set back fires, which they use to contain blazes, near several homes in Petros, including off Armes Road in north Petros.

That fire had grown from what was reported to be a few hundred acres on Monday, when it emitted a smoke plume that could be seen for miles, including in Oak Ridge, to about 450 acres on Tuesday. It had almost doubled in size by Wednesday. [Read more…]

Updated: Arson suspected in mountain fire emitting miles-long smoke plume

Posted at 5:41 pm November 21, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

beech-grove-fire-from-rosedale-nov-21-2016-web

Arson is suspected in a fire that has burned about 450 acres in mountain forests about five miles northeast of Petros, authorities said. Smoke from the fire is pictured above from Highway 116 in north Anderson County on Monday, Nov. 21, 2016. The smoke plume could be seen for miles. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

PETROS—Arson is suspected in a fire that started this weekend and has burned about 452 acres in mountain forests a few miles east and northeast of Petros, authorities said Monday.

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Firefighters contain brush fire on ridge off Yarnell Road in Claxton

Posted at 11:00 pm November 16, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Firefighters contained a brush fire of about two to three acres on a ridge above Yarnell Road just outside south Clinton on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016. Pictured above are two trucks with bulldozers from the Tennessee Division of Forestry. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was updated at 7 p.m. Nov. 17.

CLAXTON—Firefighters contained a brush fire on a ridge off Yarnell Road in Claxton on Wednesday night, authorities said.

The Tennessee Division of Forestry said the fire burned seven acres, and arson was the cause.

It was in a wooded area just outside south Clinton, said Dusty Sharpe, assistant chief of the Claxton Volunteer Fire Department. It was reported at about 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Most of the firefighters came down from the fire at about 9:40 p.m. Among those who responded were firefighters from Andersonville Volunteer Fire Department, Claxton Volunteer Fire Department, Clinton Fire Department, Marlow Volunteer Fire Department, and the Tennessee Division of Forestry.

Sharpe said the fire was contained, but it had a few hot spots that would continue to burn the next few hours. There was no damage to any structures, he said. [Read more…]

Governor issues regional burn ban, including Anderson, Knox, Loudon, Morgan, Roane

Posted at 7:11 am November 15, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

neddy-mountain-fire-cocke-county-nov-13-2016

A Chinook helicopter drops water near a home to protect it from an advancing wildfire on Neddy Mountain in Cocke County on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016. (Photo by Tennessee Division of Forestry)

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam on Monday issued a proclamation declaring a regional ban on burning in 51 counties in response to the ongoing drought and destructive wildfires throughout Middle and East Tennessee.

All eastern Tennessee counties are now under the burn ban. The counties include Anderson, Campbell, Loudon, Knox, Morgan, Roane, Scott, and Union.

Effective immediately, residents in counties covered by the regional ban are not permitted to conduct any open-air burning, a press release said. The ban includes campfires, and burning of brush, vegetation, household waste, or construction debris. The ban will remain in effect until December 15. The counties under the ban are listed below.

On Monday, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry was fighting 67 wildfires across nearly 16,000 acres in the Cumberland and East Tennessee districts.

One of the largest active fires in the area was a 2,432-acre fire on White Oak Circle in Morgan County. That fire was caused by arson, according to the Division of Forestry. That fire appears to be northwest of Harriman and Oakdale. [Read more…]