Local News
Related Photos
Fire guts Waste Connections
Somerset — Waste Connections employ-ees were counting their blessings Tuesday after a quick-burning fire sprang up at the facility and drew no fewer than eight fire depart-ments to fight the stubborn flames.
Manager Rodney Turner said the fire began at around 5 p.m., when operations were shutting down for the day. According to Turner, an em-ployee mentioned that something smelled strange while parking a trailer behind the building, located on Shane’s Lane off Ky. 914.
The employee decided to trace the smell, but it was too late. The material that spark-ed the fire “went up,” according to Turner.
“Within three to five minutes, it was all on fire in there,” Turner said.
The fire occurred at around 5 p.m., and luckily, no one was injured in the blaze. The Waste Connections facility employs more than 20 people, mostly drivers who run res-idential and commercial pick-up services, according to Pulaski County Solid Waste Coordinator Gerald Hines.
Hines said he rushed over to Waste Connections as soon as he was informed about the blaze, and he said a major section of the building was already fully engulfed by the time he arrived.
The office section of the building appeared to be relatively unscathed by the fire, but the rest of the facility was heavily damaged.
The fire drew an audience of bystanders, many of whom parked on the shoulder of Ky. 914 to watch the incident unfold.
Numerous fire departments were called on to bring water to the site throughout the evening.
Turner said waste will not be accepted at the facility “until we can get an assessment of how much damage was done.”
Turner and Hines also stated that the PRIDE (Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment) free waste disposal days, set for April 10 and 24, will be postponed until further notice. The Ky. 914 facility serves as the collection site for the annual event, which normally brings in thousands of tons of waste.
“They’ve got a lot of restoration and rebuilding to do and it’ll cause a lot of hardship on waste collections,” Hines said.
Turner and Hines both emphasized that residential, commercial and roll-off waste collection will continue unaffected while the waste connections facility is rebuilt. Hines said the City of Somerset is stepping in to assist in collecting the waste.
“The county appreciates them (the City of Somerset) on that effort,” Hines said.
Personnel with the fire departments were on-site fighting the flames well into Tuesday evening.
Those fire departments responding to the blaze were the Somerset Fire Department, Tateville Volunteer Fire Department, Ferguson Volunteer Fire Department, Haynes Knob Volunteer Fire Department, Parkers Mill Volunteer Fire Department, Bronston Volunteer Fire Department, Burnside Volunteer Fire Department, and White Lily Volunteer Fire Department. The State Fire Marshal’s Office, Pulaski County Public Safety Office and Somerset-Pulaski County EMS were also on the scene.
- Local News
-
-
LCADTF could lose big bucks
Lake Cumberland Area Drug Task Force officials estimate that the City of Somerset’s lack of involvement in the task force could lead to a loss of some $250,000 in federal funding per year — a chunk which could easily force the task force to close its doors.
David Keller, deputy director of Appalachia HIDTA, a major funding source for the local drug task force and the reason why federal and state law enforcement officers are able to be a part of the agency, says the agency’s current situation is more serious than many people realize.
Keller says HIDTA has made a “huge investment” in the LCADTF, but that folks shouldn’t get too comfortable with the agency’s ability to obtain grant money at the federal or state level.
“This is not entitlement money. ... Our grant is performance driven, and it’s sought after by competitive forces,” Keller said. “If this agency doesn’t produce, they stand a risk of not having the task force funded. That money will go someplace else — to another county that would love to have it.” -
HOME STRETCH
Less than a decade ago, Pleasant Hill was a pastoral community. Modern homes were tucked among shaded lawns. Cattle grazed peacefully at day and fireflies blinked in darkness. The area was served by a friendly little road called Clifty.
Things have changed and are changing. In a relatively few days, huge electric bulbs will glow, turning night forever into day. Horseless carriages will trek in places where tailpipes have belched never before. -
Meth lab raided thanks to Cruise
Two Pulaski residents were arrested yesterday as a result of their involvement in a methamphetamine lab in the basement of an East Oak Street home.
-
Nelson blames Gilbert for task force rift
- 'Raft Up' organizers visit Pulaski Fiscal Court
-
Crew change station will be a plus for Pulaski
- Change of city government won't be on fall ballot
-
Trio accused of vandalizing churches in court
-
Power Cruise draws cars from all over to July Somernites
-
Oakwood expecting over 50 layoffs
- More Local News Headlines
-
