Oak Ridge Today

Fire destroys Clinton house, no injuries reported

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Information from WYSH Radio

A house on Carden Road in Clinton was destroyed by a Sunday afternoon fire.

Clinton Fire Chief Archie Brummitt told WYSH Radio in Clinton that the residents of 194 Carden Road had been getting ready to cook “dipping dogs” and had left grease in a pan on the stove to warm up while they ran to the store for a few last-minute items.

When they returned, their house was on fire.

Firefighters reported heavy black smoke coming from under the eaves of the house and flames coming from the back of the structure. CUB cut the power to the home, and fire crews began attacking the blaze from outside the house and on the interior. The firefighters inside were ordered out after the incident commanders determined that the fire was spreading quickly through the attic, which could have led to a ceiling collapse. [Read more…]

Missing four-year-old boy found with family dog after four-hour search

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Note: This story was updated at 12:50 p.m. May 7.

A four-year-old boy reported missing with a family dog was found Friday afternoon after a four-hour search and help from a CodeRED alert, authorities said.

Anderson County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to a report of a missing child at a home on Hinds Creek Road shortly before 11 a.m. Friday, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said.

“A four-year-old boy had wandered away from home apparently with the family dog,” Lucas said. “An intensive search began using Sheriff’s Department K-9 teams, including bloodhounds. A Blount County Sheriff’s K-9 bloodhound also responded to assist.”

Emergency personnel from the Andersonville Fire Department, Norris Fire Department, Claxton Fire Department, Clinton Fire Department, Clinton Police Department, Anderson County Rescue Squad, Anderson County Emergency Management, and Anderson County EMS came to the scene and helped with the search, both on foot and by using ATVs, Lucas said. [Read more…]

Guest column: Emergency management director responds to question about drinking water safety

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Note: Anderson County Emergency Management Director Steve Payne recently responded to a citizens’ question about safety measures the county has in place to protect drinking water in the event of a hazardous situation like that which recently occurred in West Virginia. Here’s Payne’s response, which was forwarded by the County Mayor’s Office, which had initially received the question.

Dear Mayor Frank,

Please forward to the citizen who asked:

What safety measures does Anderson County have in place to protect citizens’ drinking water in the event of a hazardous situation like that which occurred recently in West Virginia?

Anderson County is home to some 50 facilities that manufacture, process, store, or utilize quantities of hazardous radiological or chemical materials. The majority of these facilities are located in industrial parks in the county and cities of Oak Ridge, Clinton, and Lake City.

Facilities with quantities of hazardous materials that meet or exceed threshold levels established by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are required by federal law to file each year a Tier 2 Report stating the material(s) and quantity on site. In addition to the name and quantity of each material, the report includes Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), a site map showing location of material, type of storage container, type of storage conditions, and description of dikes, holding basins, and other safeguard measures. Tier 2 reports received in 2013 from private, non-DOE facilities identify 42 separate hazardous materials. [Read more…]