Oakland, Tenn.–The Oakland Fire Department made department history Thursday by responding to seven fire calls in one day.
Beginning with the early-morning house trailer fire on Old Union Road, firefighters also responded to four grass fires which are still being investigated.
Fire Chief James Martin said, “Because it was so cold, the ground had moisture which thankfully kept the fires from spreading.”
The fires are being investigated by the Henry County Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee Division of Forestry.
An hour after putting out the house fire, firefighters were dispatched back to the scene because it had flared up again and then still later that evening, were called out to the scene again.
Martin said, “Then at 8:23 p.m. things got interesting. We were dispatched to not one but TWO separate grass fires. One fire was reported in the area of 69S and Mays Bridge Rd. The other was reported in the area of Manleyville and 641 South.”
The first fire was across the road from Chief Martin’s home on Mays Bridge Road and he did the best he could with the fire, destroying his new boots in the process, until the trucks arrived seven minutes later.
While that fire was being extinguished, one of the trucks went on to the second fire located on Mays Bridge Road near Manleyville Road.
Martin said, “A third grass fire was located approximately 500 yards away closer to Manleyville. It was then determined there was still a fourth grass fire still burning in the area of 890 Manleyville Road.”
Additionally, there was a fifth grass fire more than likely connected to these other four, on Reynoldsburg road just off Manleyville Rd, which is in the Mansfield VFD district. That grass fire ignited a few hay bales
Martin thanked mutual aid from the Springville and Mansfield Volunteer Fire Departments. “I am so thankful for the assistance from Springville and Mansfield,” Martin said. “Mutual aid was greatly appreciated.”
“When it was all said and done we got finished around 9:45 with more investigating to be done during daylight hours. Oakland responded with 3 trucks and 9 firefighters, Springville responded with 1 truck and 4 firefighters, and Mansfield with 3 trucks and at least 4 firefighters,” he said.
Photo by Chief James Martin.