Fifty years ago (Sept. 25, 1972) Chattanooga was rocked by one of its biggest explosion fires in the city’s history. The Jersey Pike Fuel Terminal, in a sparsely populated area of Hamilton County, exploded creating a huge inferno that left three people dead and several injured. Mayor Robert Kirk Walker closed the airport and passenger planes were diverted to Knoxville and Atlanta. Sheriff H.Q. Evatt and Fire and Police Commissioner Gene Roberts ordered police to begin evacuating nearby businesses and residents. At that time, Tri Community Fire Department was responsible for the Jersey Pike area. TCFD Chief Duane Pitts was the first to arrive at the scene and he immediately radioed for help. All available firefighting units in the Hamilton County area responded to battle the raging fire. Chief Pitts said special foam had to be shipped in to contain the inferno that burned for over 28 hours. WDEF TV’s Mort Lloyd owned a plane and got the mayor’s permission to fly over the inferno while photographer Tommy Eason did the filming. CBS, NBC and ABC all led with the disaster on their evening newscasts. Radio networks did hourly reports on the Southeast Tennessee disaster. The Associated Press said four huge tanks containing gasoline, diesel and kerosene were on fire and special substance chemical foam had to be flown in from Georgia and Pennsylvania. The AP reported the fire was believed to have started from an electric pump. The wire service said it became uncontrollable so Civil Defense advised officials to evacuate nearby structures. Several who lived in the area remembered that fall morning. Jeff Gibbs resided in the Bonny Oaks community and said it knocked him out of his bed. “I remember looking out my window and the sky was red,"' he said. David Jones said the shockwave threw him out of his top bunk. He said he thought at first the Volunteer Ammunition Plant had blown up. Resident Richard Lee Cox said the heat was so intense you could hardly touch the bricks on his Holiday Hills home. I was stationed at the American Forces Network in Frankfurt, West Germany when news anchor Jan Wood called me to the newsroom to read Associated Press and United Press International wire reports. Wood said, “You are from Chattanooga, look at these stories.” Wood proceeded to ask me about what was around the tanks and background of the area. The AP had transmitted several pictures of the petroleum tanks in flames. A few days later we received Chattanooga Times and News Free Press newspaper accounts. Firefighters had their work cut out for them because of the type of fire they were battling. Retired Chattanooga Fire Chief Joe Knowles remembers that day well. He said, “We were very fortunate there wasn’t more loss of life.”
The Soddy, Daisy & Montlake Historical Association announces that the Good Old Days Museum will be hosting "Saturday History Talks" so guests can hear local experts share local stories and ... (click for more)
Fifty years ago (Sept. 25, 1972) Chattanooga was rocked by one of its biggest explosion fires in the city’s history. The Jersey Pike Fuel Terminal, in a sparsely populated area of Hamilton County, ... (click for more)
The Tennessee State Library and Archives is offering a behind-the-scenes look at their new facility on the northeast corner of the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in Nashville this Saturday. ... (click for more)
The Soddy, Daisy & Montlake Historical Association announces that the Good Old Days Museum will be hosting "Saturday History Talks" so guests can hear local experts share local stories and folklore. Topics are centered on the Soddy, Daisy and Montlake area and historical events in this region. Beginning this fall, on the third Saturday of the month SDMHA will provide an in-depth ... (click for more)
Fifty years ago (Sept. 25, 1972) Chattanooga was rocked by one of its biggest explosion fires in the city’s history. The Jersey Pike Fuel Terminal, in a sparsely populated area of Hamilton County, exploded creating a huge inferno that left three people dead and several injured. Mayor Robert Kirk Walker closed the airport and passenger planes were diverted to Knoxville and Atlanta. ... (click for more)
EPB is starting on building a new $16 million operations center at Enterprise South Industrial Park. EPB currently has two operations centers, one on 8th Street and another in Soddy Daisy. With the majority of growth in the Chattanooga area happening in the vicinity of Collegedale, EPB bought 17 acres next to Amazon in 2020 to have resources and services where they will be needed. ... (click for more)
A 24-year-old climber was in serious condition on Friday after falling 30-40 feet and striking his head on a rock. A second climber had minor injuries. Several agencies responded to the high fall accident located at 354 Montlake Road. At 6:30 pm, a 911 call was made reporting two males were injured from rock climbing. Mowbray Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene ... (click for more)
A parent spanks their kid in the year 2022 and gets CPS and the police called on them. A cop body slams a child by his dreadlocks and maces him at his school and most people cheer it on as teaching him a lesson by disciplining him. What lesson are we teaching our kids? That violence solves problems? That talking back to authority figures is a crime? The kid never put his ... (click for more)
To the two members of the Election Commission who speak on the record about the city council runoff election, I have a few questions. Regarding the smell test, isn’t hearsay inadmissible? Regarding interference, what about a state senator endorsing county mayor winner a part of this equation? Or past US presidents coming to town to vocalize their preferences. If you are looking ... (click for more)