Oak Ridge Today

No injuries, but barn fire causes estimated $100,000 in damage

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Tuskegee Drive Barn Fire

A Thursday evening fire destroyed a barn off Tuskegee Drive and caused an estimated $100,000 in damage, including to supplies and equipment inside. (Photos by Tom Scott)

A fire that destroyed a barn off Tuskegee Drive on Thursday evening caused an estimated $100,000 in damage, authorities said Friday morning.

The blaze was first reported as a fire in the woods at about 5:09 p.m. Thursday. But crews who hiked through the woods found a barn totally engulfed with fire, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said.

Access to the structure near the intersection of Tuskegee and TeeJay drives was limited, so the Oak Ridge Fire Department requested forestry mini pumpers from Oliver Springs and Marlow volunteer fire departments to help control wooded areas around the barn. [Read more…]

Fire destroys barn off Tuskegee Drive

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A fire that was reported at about 5:09 p.m. Thursday destroyed a barn off Tuskegee Drive, authorities said.

Owned by Wayne Clark, the barn contained tools, supplies, and equipment, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said.

A small road off Tuskegee Drive that leads to the barn was blocked by tree limbs—preventing even a small rescue truck from using it—but firefighters and police officers were able to get to the scene using a gravel road near Teller Village Apartments. The fire was originally reported as a brush fire. But firefighters who parked a truck on the road and hiked in soon realized it was a barn fire, Kerley said. [Read more…]

Most apartment residents displaced by Thanksgiving fire calls can return home

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Utica Circle Fire

An apartment fire at 312 Utica Circle that was allegedly set deliberately heavily damaged one home, and other residents in the eight-unit building were displaced during the Thanksgiving weekend. (Photos by Tom Scott)

ORFD chief says Utica Circle fire was set

Power has been restored to an Applewood Apartments building on Hillside Road after a Thanksgiving Day electrical short displaced two dozen residents, and most of another two dozen residents can move back into McKenzie Acres apartments on Utica Circle, two days after they were displaced by a Saturday night fire, city officials said Monday.

The two fire calls in three days displaced about 50 people during the Thanksgiving weekend. The Red Cross has helped the residents with food and shelter, and residents and restaurants have pitched in as well.

The city hoped to get the residents back into their buildings today, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said Monday afternoon. [Read more…]

Small electrical fire displaces two dozen Applewood residents

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Applewood Apartments Building Residents

A small electrical fire at the Applewood Apartments on Hillside Road around noon Thursday displaced about two dozen residents. Above, Oak Ridge Fire Department Battalion Chief Marty Griffith talks to residents. (Photos by Tom Scott)

A small electrical fire at the Applewood Apartments on Hillside Road around noon Thursday displaced about two dozen residents, authorities said.

The fire was caused by an electrical short in the main power supply leading into the distribution system in the basement of a building at 184 Hillside Road, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said.

The fire at the basement fuse box was quickly extinguished with an extinguisher, ORFD Battalion Chief Marty Griffith said. He said a circuit breaker did its job, turning off power and minimizing damage. [Read more…]

Rescuers tried to save unresponsive student, cause of death unknown

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Linden Elementary School

Linden Elementary School is pictured above.

The third-grade student who died Tuesday had appeared to be asleep on a school bus, officials said Wednesday.

But other students were unable to awake him at a bus stop on Wilberforce Avenue at about 4:10 p.m. Tuesday. The bus driver parked the bus and went back to check on the boy, but she was unable to wake him or get him to respond, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said.

She called 911. A dispatcher gave the bus driver instructions to care for the boy until rescuers arrived, Kerley said.

Firefighters responded within two minutes. The bus stop is behind a fire station on Tuskegee Avenue. The boy was taken by ambulance to Methodist Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. [Read more…]

Fire causes damage to auto repair garage in Marlow

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Jackson Paving Co. Fire

Oliver Springs firefighter Adam Daugherty uses a thermal imaging camera to check for fire in the overhead area. (Photos by Tom Scott)

A fire caused major damage to a truck being repaired in a large garage in Marlow, and it caused moderate damage to repair equipment and the building.

The fire at Jackson Paving Co. on Oliver Springs Highway occurred at about 10:15 a.m. Friday.

The fire at the large auto repair garage occurred in the Marlow Fire Department area. But mutual aid was requested from the Oliver Springs and Oak Ridge fire departments because of the combustible nature of the materials used. [Read more…]

Picture: Firefighters have controlled burns on Pine Ridge

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Pine Ridge Controlled Burning

The Tennessee Division of Forestry conducts controlled burns on top of Pine Ridge in south Oak Ridge on Saturday.

State and local firefighters had controlled burns on top of Pine Ridge in south Oak Ridge on Saturday.

The burning on the ridge between South Illinois Avenue and Scarboro Road was scheduled to start at about noon Saturday and end before dark. The burns were conducted by the Tennessee Division of Forestry with help from the Oak Ridge Fire Department.

The goal was to help reduce the risk of an uncontrolled fire occurring at the site, also called Summit Ridge, and to help promote the growth of new vegetation in the area, a press release said. [Read more…]

Firefighters will have controlled burns on Summit Ridge on Saturday

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State and local firefighters will have controlled burns on a prominent ridge top in south Oak Ridge on Saturday.

The burning on Summit Ridge between South Illinois Avenue and Scarboro Road will start at about noon Saturday and end before dark, an Oak Ridge Fire Department press release said. The burns will be conducted by the Tennessee Division of Forestry with help from the ORFD.

The goal is to help reduce the risk of an uncontrolled fire occurring at the site and to help promote the growth of new vegetation in the area, the release said.

Reminder: Change clocks, smoke alarm batteries this weekend

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With daylight savings time coming to an end this weekend and everyone setting their clocks back on Saturday night, the Oak Ridge Fire Department wants to remind everyone that it is time to change their smoke alarm batteries.

Smoke alarms should be checked at least once a month for proper operation and the batteries should be changed every six months. [Read more…]

Chemistry experiment waste starts trash can fire in ORHS classroom

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Oak Ridge High School Trash Can Fire

A small fire in a trash can in a chemistry classroom at Oak Ridge High School on Friday night was the result of an unintended reaction from waste products left over from a chemistry experiment earlier in the day. (Photos courtesy of Oak Ridge Fire Department)

A small fire in a trash can in a chemistry classroom at Oak Ridge High School on Friday night was the result of an unintended reaction from waste products left over from a chemistry experiment earlier in the day, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said.

The fire occurred just before 9 p.m. Friday. The classroom was filled with smoke when firefighters arrived, but they were able to use a fire extinguisher to put out the fire in a fire-resistant wastepaper container, which was inside a locked classroom, Kerley said. [Read more…]

Video: ORFD demonstrates fire ‘flashover’ in three minutes

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Have you ever heard the term “flashover”? Do you know how fast fire spreads throughout your house? Do you have a home escape plan? For the answers to these questions, and more, watch this video from the Oak Ridge Fire Department.

The Fire Department demonstrates how a fire that starts in a trash can in the corner of a room can “flash over” at 1,150 degrees and engulf an entire room in flames in about three minutes.

ORFD Chief Darryl Kerley said the Fire Department would prefer that residents not try to fight fires themselves unless they’ve had training in using a fire extinguisher and have it immediately available. [Read more…]

Blasting at Kroger Marketplace site continues Monday, Thursday

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Kroger Marketplace Building Construction

Building construction has started at the new Kroger Marketplace shopping center, and blasting at the site is scheduled to continue next week.

Building construction has started at the new Kroger Marketplace shopping center, and blasting at the site is scheduled to continue next week.

The blasting started this week in short sessions that lasted a few minutes each on Monday and Thursday afternoons.

The blasting is expected to continue next week at 2 p.m. Monday and Thursday, a city press release said. [Read more…]