Oak Ridge Today

Woman found floating face down at Civic Center, taken to hospital

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

A female believed to be in her 30s was taken to Methodist Medical Center on Monday afternoon after she was found floating face down in the fountain at the Oak Ridge Civic Center, city officials said.

The woman, who was not identified in a Tuesday statement, is currently receiving treatment at the hospital. She is believed to be in her mid-to-late 30s.

She was found in the 14-inch deep fountain at about 2:45 p.m. Monday by residents visiting the Civic Center, the statement said. Two people reported the incident to the staff at the Civic Center front counter, while a third tried to pull the woman out of the water, said Oak Ridge Electric Director Jack Suggs, who is acting city manager while Mark Watson attends an out-of-town meeting. [Read more…]

Small fire at EMS station goes out when power cut

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Anderson County EMS Fire

The Oak Ridge fire and electric departments respond to a small fire in a meter box at the Anderson County Emergency Medical Services Station 2 on Raleigh Road. (Photos by Tom Scott)

A small fire at a meter box at the Anderson County Emergency Medical Services station on Raleigh Road went out when the power to the building was cut, authorities said.

The electrical fire occurred at ACEMS Station 2 at about 4:55 p.m. Friday.

Weather had caused a service line to spark, said Josh Waldo, Oak Ridge Fire Department assistant fire chief. There was no damage to the building, which once housed the Oak Ridge Fire Department Alarm Office.

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City replaces broken South Jefferson Circle utility pole

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City Replaces South Jefferson Utility Pole

Oak Ridge work crews on Monday replace a South Jefferson Circle utility pole that was damaged in a single-vehicle accident on Sunday night. (Photo by Tom Scott)

Oak Ridge work crews on Monday replaced a South Jefferson Circle utility pole that was damaged in a single-vehicle accident on Sunday night.

In that accident, a car hit a cable holding up the utility pole, breaking it and briefly knocking out power to about 690 customers on Louisiana Avenue and side streets.

The driver was reportedly taken by ambulance to Methodist Medical Center with what appeared to be minor injuries.

City workers used a utility truck to hold the pole in place through Sunday night.

Oak Ridge Electric Department Director Jack Suggs said there were no more power outages while the pole was replaced Monday afternoon.

Car collision breaks utility pole, knocks out power

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Car Accident South Jefferson Circle

A driver reportedly suffered minor injuries and power was knocked out in an area of west Oak Ridge after a single-vehicle accident on South Jefferson Circle on Sunday. (Photos by Tom Scott)

A car hit a utility pole cable on South Jefferson Circle on Sunday night, breaking the pole and knocking out power to about 690 customers, a city official said Monday.

The customers who lost power after the 7:45 p.m. accident were located along Louisiana Avenue and its side streets, Oak Ridge Electric Director Jack Suggs said. He said temporary repairs were made, and power was fully restored at about 9:15 p.m.

Suggs said the car left the roadway—it wasn’t clear whether it had been on Oak Ridge Turnpike or South Jefferson Circle—and struck a guy wire that holds up a pole near Weatherford Mortuary. The pole broke and split down the middle.

“Emergency responders arrived at the scene and secured it until personnel from the power company could be called in and respond,” Suggs said.

The driver was reportedly taken by ambulance to Methodist Medical Center with what appeared to be minor injuries.

Car and Power Pole Accident

Oak Ridge firefighter David Gray responds to a single-vehicle accident between a car and a utility pole on South Jefferson Circle on Sunday night.

City workers used a utility truck to hold the pole in place through Sunday night.

Suggs said crews planned to replace the pole today. Suggs said he didn’t expect many outages, if any, while the pole is changed.

“Although the ever present possibility of a power outage becomes even greater when lines are being repaired, we anticipate that we will be able to notify all customers affected individually,” Suggs said.