Oak Ridge Today

Two fires reported early Friday

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Oak Ridge Fire Department firefighters responded to two structure fires early Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, including one at around 4:29 a.m. on Newport Drive. (Photo from City of Oak Ridge)

Oak Ridge Fire Department firefighters responded to two structure fires early Friday. No one was injured in either fire.

The first fire was reported at 12:42 a.m. Friday at 109 Houston Avenue. When they arrived, Oak Ridge firefighters found a detached garage that was on fire, the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release.

The second fire was reported about three hours later, at around 4:29 a.m. It was a structure fire at 129 Newport Drive.

“Firefighters got the fire under control and are remaining on scene this morning extinguishing hot spots,” the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release Friday.

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Police identify woman who died in two-vehicle crash

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The Oak Ridge Police Department has identified the woman who died in the two-vehicle crash on Oak Ridge Turnpike on Tuesday afternoon as Johnnie Gary, 77, of Oak Ridge.

The two-vehicle crash between a sedan and pickup truck was reported at about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday in the westbound lanes of Oak Ridge Turnpike just east of Nebraska Avenue, at Newport Drive.

Gary was pronounced dead at the crash site, the ORPD said.

The other driver had non-life threatening injuries and was taken to Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge to be treated.

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Updated: One person dies in crash in west Oak Ridge

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Note: This story was updated at 11 a.m. May 1.

A female driver died in a crash in west Oak Ridge on Tuesday afternoon, police said.

The two-vehicle crash was reported at about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday in the westbound lanes of Oak Ridge Turnpike just east of Nebraska Avenue, at Newport Drive. It involved a maroon sedan and a white pickup truck. The sedan had come to a stop heading south on Newport Drive onto Oak Ridge Turnpike, while the pickup truck was in the westbound lanes with its front end turned into the grassy center median.

The cause is not known yet. A specialist who can reconstruct the crash was investigating, Oak Ridge Police Department Lieutenant Matt Tedford said Tuesday afternoon.

The female’s body was taken for an autopsy by the Roane County medical examiner, Tedford said.

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Update: Truck driver was ill, but shipment was routine, posed no threat to public

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Oak Ridge Turnpike re-opened near Big Turtle Park after about 1.5 hours Wednesday afternoon, May 17, 2017, after authorities investigated a possible hazardous materials situation involving a truck pulling a flatbed trailer with two cargo containers marked radioactive. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Oak Ridge Turnpike re-opened near Big Turtle Park after about 1.5 hours Wednesday afternoon, May 17, 2017, after authorities investigated a possible hazardous materials situation involving a truck pulling a flatbed trailer with two cargo containers marked radioactive. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 6:45 p.m.

Authorities investigated a truck shipment labeled radioactive after a driver was reported ill on Wednesday afternoon, and they found the shipment was routine and posed no threat to the public, the Oak Ridge Fire Department said.

The Oak Ridge Fire Department responded to the call of the truck driver who was ill on Oak Ridge Turnpike near Newport Drive at about 11:50 a.m. Wednesday.

When they arrived, firefighters saw the truck and its flatbed trailer were transporting hazardous waste, so as they evaluated the patient, the Fire Department said in a City of Oak Ridge press release.

Firefighters also followed procedure to evaluate the shipment to ensure there was no association with the truck driver’s illness, the press release said.

“Officials closed that section of the Oak Ridge Turnpike as a precautionary measure until the patient could be evaluated and transported to the local hospital,” the press release said. “The truck was relocated off of the state highway to a city parking lot for additional evaluation and the highway was re-opened.” [Read more…]

Turnpike re-opened, truck escorted to business after authorities investigate possible hazardous materials

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Oak Ridge Turnpike re-opened near Big Turtle Park after about 1.5 hours Wednesday afternoon, May 17, 2017, after authorities investigated a possible hazardous materials situation involving a truck pulling a flatbed trailer with two cargo containers marked radioactive. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Oak Ridge Turnpike re-opened near Big Turtle Park after about 1.5 hours Wednesday afternoon, May 17, 2017, after authorities investigated a possible hazardous materials situation involving a truck pulling a flatbed trailer with two cargo containers marked radioactive. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 6:45 p.m.

Oak Ridge Turnpike re-opened near Big Turtle Park after about 1.5 hours Wednesday afternoon after authorities investigated a possible hazardous materials situation involving a truck pulling a flatbed trailer with two cargo containers marked radioactive.

The Turnpike was closed between Montana Avenue and Newport Drive at about 12 p.m. Wednesday. It re-opened after the truck and trailer were moved to a parking lot at Big Turtle Park near the dog park and a soccer field.

At about 1:30 p.m., the Oak Ridge Police Department and Oak Ridge Fire Department escorted the truck and trailer through central Oak Ridge to Toxco on Flint Road.

It wasn’t immediately clear if there was any hazardous materials detected, although the truck and its containers were presumably deemed to be okay since they were escorted through town, and workers and police officers were standing near them at Toxco. Toxco repackages low-level radioactive waste. [Read more…]