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Fire destroys Brushy Valley home; no injuries reported

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Information from WYSH Radio

A home on Brushy Valley Road in the Heiskell community was destroyed by a fire Wednesday night.

Anderson County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Adam Warren responded to the home shortly before 8:30 p.m. and made contact with the occupants, home owner David Neely and his son Dillon. Both made it out safely.

Warren reported that the house was completely on fire when he arrived, and that while he was on the scene, several explosions could be heard. David Neely explained that his wife, who was not home at the time of the fire, had several oxygen bottles inside and that there was a propane tank on the back porch.

[Read more…]

Rocky Top woman allegedly started fire at home with children inside

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Sharon Lee Braden
Sharon Lee Braden

A Rocky Top woman allegedly started a fire at a home north of Clinton with an adult and two children inside in June, and she was arrested Monday, authorities said.

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office said Sharon Lee Braden, 48, of Rocky Top, was arrested on charges of aggravated arson, three counts of aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment. Those charges are related to a June fire at a home on Offutt Road, which is east of Lake City Highway (Highway 25/State Route 9) between Clinton and Rocky Top.

Anderson County Sheriff’s Office Detective Sean Flynn issued arrest warrants as a result of evidence collected during his investigation and statements made by an eyewitness, a press release said.

“The witness reported that he saw Braden start the fire, and when he approached her, she fled,” the press release said.

[Read more…]

Apartment kitchen fire stopped by suppressor system

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An automatic stovetop device stopped a kitchen fire from spreading in an Oak Ridge apartment Thursday morning, firefighters said. (Photo by ORFD)

An automatic stovetop device stopped a kitchen fire from spreading in an Oak Ridge apartment Thursday morning, firefighters said.

The fire was reported at about 10:52 a.m. Thursday in an apartment on Teller Village Lane. The first Oak Ridge Fire Department unit arrived within minutes and found smoke inside the apartment, a press release said.

No injuries were reported in the fire. The vent hood system, cabinets, and stovetop in the kitchen were damaged, but the fire was not able to spread because of the automatic stovetop fire suppressor device, the press release said.

[Read more…]

No injuries reported in transformer fire at salt bath for depleted uranium

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No injuries were reported during a fire at a transformer for a salt bath used to heat depleted uranium at the Y-12 National Security Complex in May.

The transformer fire was reported Monday, May 20, in Building 9215 at Y-12. It burned no more than about 25 minutes, according to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. No depleted uranium was being processed at the time of the fire, the board said.

The salt bath heats depleted uranium before metalworking operations.

The DNFSB said the system engineer had stepped away from the salt bath while it was slowly heating to a new temperature, and he noticed the fire after re-entering the area after a supervisor told him about an unusual odor, the DNFSB said. The engineer called 911, and all personnel evacuated the immediate area.

[Read more…]

Lightning starts bedroom fire

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No injuries were reported when lightning sparked a fire in a bedroom in Oak Ridge on Tuesday, July 2, 2019, firefighters said. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

No injuries were reported when lightning sparked a fire in a bedroom in Oak Ridge on Tuesday, firefighters said.

The Oak Ridge Fire Department responded to reports of a tree being struck by lightning in the 100 block of Baltimore Drive at about 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, July 2.

Firefighters said the energy from the lightning strike ran into a nearby home, causing the electrical outlets in a bedroom to arc. The electrical arcing set a bed on fire, which heavily damaged the bedroom and its contents, a press release said.

[Read more…]

Mother, son escape; cats rescued from basement fire

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A mother and her teenage son escaped from a basement fire on Monday evening, April 15, 2019, on Hugh Lane in Oak Ridge, and two cats were rescued. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge/Oak Ridge Fire Department)

A mother and her teenage son escaped from a Monday evening basement fire on Hugh Lane in Oak Ridge, and two cats were rescued.

The fire was reported at about 5:40 p.m. Monday, April 15.

When the Oak Ridge Fire Department arrived, firefighters saw heavy smoke coming from the basement area of a three-unit condominium, the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release.

[Read more…]

CSX held train traffic out of area during Elza Gate fire

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Firefighters used back burns, controlled fires that eliminate fuel, to help contain a large fire that burned grass and brush near the railroad tracks at Elza Drive in east Oak Ridge on Friday afternoon, March 22, 2019. This view is looking north toward Elza Drive. The line at right crosses over Elza Drive. The line at left is now partially dismantled, and it ran through east Oak Ridge, past Jefferson Middle School, and to Y-12 National Security Complex. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Oak Ridge Fire Department)

CSX said it held train traffic out of the area during a brush and grass fire near the railroad tracks in east Oak Ridge on Friday afternoon, March 22, 2019. This view is looking north toward Elza Drive. The line at right crosses over Elza Drive. The line at left is now partially dismantled, and it ran through east Oak Ridge, past Jefferson Middle School, and to Y-12 National Security Complex. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Oak Ridge Fire Department)

 

CSX said it held train traffic out of the area during a brush and grass fire near the railroad tracks in east Oak Ridge on Friday afternoon.

The large fire was reported at about 3:30 p.m. Friday along the railroad tracks south of Elza Drive, just east of Elza Gate Park. The fire burned grass on the side of a steep embankment supporting the railroad tracks that cross over Elza Drive. It also appeared to spread to nearby brush and grass near an unused rail line that splits off near the Clinch River to enter east Oak Ridge at Melton Lake Drive. The fire sent up a large plume of black and gray smoke that was visible for miles.

“Flames were moving quickly, fueled by strong winds and excess brush in the area,” the Oak Ridge Fire Department said.

CSX and the City of Oak Ridge said the cause of Friday’s fire remains under investigation. The Oak Ridge Fire Department said it believes the fire was unintentional. [Read more…]

Firefighters use back burns to help contain Elza Gate fire

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Firefighters used back burns, controlled fires that eliminate fuel, to help contain a large fire that burned grass and brush near the railroad tracks at Elza Drive in east Oak Ridge on Friday afternoon, March 22, 2019. This view is looking south toward Melton Hill Lake/Clinch River from near Elza Drive. There is a Y intersection in the train tracks in the area of the black smoke. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Oak Ridge Fire Department)

Firefighters used back burns, controlled fires that eliminate fuel, to help contain a large fire that burned grass and brush near the railroad tracks at Elza Drive in east Oak Ridge on Friday afternoon, March 22, 2019. This view is looking south toward Melton Hill Lake/Clinch River from near Elza Drive. There is a Y intersection in the train tracks in the area of the black smoke. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Oak Ridge Fire Department)

 

Firefighters used back burns, controlled fires that eliminate fuel, to help contain a large fire that burned grass and brush near the railroad tracks at Elza Drive in east Oak Ridge on Friday afternoon.

The large grass fire was reported on the steep embankment along the railroad tracks east of Elza Gate Park at about 3:30 p.m. Friday. The fire sent up a large plume of black and gray smoke that was visible for miles.

“Flames were moving quickly, fueled by strong winds and excess brush in the area,” the Oak Ridge Fire Department said.

Crews started attacking the fire from several locations, the ORFD said. When flames spread to the railroad bridge over Elza Drive, firefighters were able to save it by walking out onto the bridge and extinguishing the flames. [Read more…]

Four families displaced by apartment fire

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Four families were displaced by a fire in an apartment on Waddell Circle on Friday afternoon, March 22, 2019, the Oak Ridge Fire Department said. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Oak Ridge Fire Department)

Four families were displaced by a fire in an apartment on Waddell Circle on Friday afternoon, March 22, 2019, the Oak Ridge Fire Department said. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge/Oak Ridge Fire Department)

 

Four families were displaced by a fire in an apartment on Waddell Circle on Friday afternoon, the Oak Ridge Fire Department said.

The fire was reported at about 2:10 p.m. Friday, March 22, in the 200 block of Waddell Circle. Firefighters reported heavy smoke and fire coming from one of the second-floor apartments when they arrived.

The flames were quickly extinguished, and crews confirmed that all occupants made it out of the building safely, the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release. The occupants told first responders they heard a “whooshing” sound while watching television. When they opened the back door, they found the deck on fire. [Read more…]

Updated: Fire crews battle brush fire near railroad tracks at Elza Gate

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Fire crews battle a brush fire near the railroad tracks at Elza Gate in east Oak Ridge on Friday afternoon, March 22, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Fire crews battle a brush fire near the railroad tracks at Elza Gate in east Oak Ridge on Friday afternoon, March 22, 2019. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11:15 p.m.

Fire crews battled a brush fire near the railroad tracks at Elza Gate in east Oak Ridge on Friday afternoon.

The fire was burning in brush on a steep embankment about 20 feet high along the railroad tracks. It had also spread to nearby brush.

Smoke was visible over the east end of Oak Ridge at about 3:30 p.m., in the area east of Elza Gate Park.

Firefighters responded from the Oak Ridge Fire Department, Marlow Volunteer Fire Department, and Oliver Springs Fire Department. The Oak Ridge Police Department, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, and Tennessee Department of Agriculture also responded.

Witnesses told authorities that some railroad equipment had sent sparks flying around the time of the fire, but the City of Oak Ridge wasn’t able to confirm a cause on Friday night. [Read more…]

ORFD helped fight fire in Oliver Springs

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The Oak Ridge Fire Department and other departments helped Oliver Springs fight this fire on West Tri County Boulevard early Wednesday, March 5, 2019. (Photo by Tom Scott)

The Oak Ridge Fire Department and other departments helped Oliver Springs fight this fire on West Tri County Boulevard early Wednesday, March 5, 2019. (Photo by Tom Scott)

 

The Oak Ridge Fire Department responded to help fight a fire in Oliver Springs last week.

The fire was reported at about 1 a.m. Wednesday, March 5, in a building in the 900 block of West Tri County Boulevard, said fire photographer Tom Scott.

The initial response was by the Oliver Springs Fire Department, followed by the Marlow, Blair, and Oak Ridge fire departments on a mutual aid request, Scott said. [Read more…]

Man died after removing wife from fire, trying to rescue her special needs sister

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Law enforcement officials believe that a 64-year-old man removed his wife from a mobile home fire in Anderson County on Wednesday evening and died trying to rescue his special needs sister-in-law, who also died in the fire.

The fire was reported at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday on Scott Brogan Lane, which is off Old Lake City Highway south of Rocky Top.

The mobile home was engulfed in flames when rescue personnel arrived, and victims were trapped in the home, according to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department.

The woman who was removed is Marianne Gremillion, said Tyler Mayes, director of administrative services for the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department. She was flown by a medical helicopter to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville after the Wednesday evening fire. [Read more…]

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