June 30, 2024
By:
A Friday night fire rendered significant damage to a Liberty industry.
DeKalb County Volunteer Firefighters were summoned to an industrial structure fire at the Liberty Machine Shop on East Main Street at 9:35 p.m.
“A neighbor spotted fire coming from the roof and called DeKalb 911,” said DeKalb Fire Chief Donny Green.
“The Liberty, Temperance Hall, Main, and Cookeville Highway stations had a quick response and found heavy fire and smoke coming from the front of the building near the roof line. Firefighters made an aggressive interior attack and were able to quickly contain the fire. However, due to the building age and type of construction, firefighters were required to perform extensive overhaul operations to extinguish fire extensions between the tongue and groove ceiling, dense insulation, and the metal roof. After an extended operation, firefighters were able to extinguish the fire, ventilate the building, and perform salvage operations to help protect machinery and other property inside the facility,” said Chief Green
“Due to the extended period of operation and physical demands on firefighters, mutual aid was requested from the Alexandria Fire Department and Smithville Fire Department to provide more fire personnel. Approximately 40 firefighters were on the scene,” Chief Green explained.
Others providing assistance were the DeKalb County Emergency Medical Services, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department, DeKalb County Fire Department’s Rehabilitation Unit, Caney Fork Electric Company, Middle Tennessee Natural Gas, and several members of the public who provided drinking water to firefighters.
“The building received significant fire damage to the front interior portion where the blaze originated in the ceiling area. Other portions of the facility received moderate smoke and water damage,” said Chief Green.
No one was present at the facility when the fire was reported and there were no injuries during the incident. The cause of the fire is currently undetermined.
County firefighters were called upon again on Saturday in a separate structure fire at 2:35 p.m. on Obie Adcock Road in the Belk Community.
“Upon arrival heavy smoke was showing from all sides of the structure,” said Chief Green. “Firefighters made entry and extinguished the fire quickly. With the quick attack, firefighters were able to contain the fire to one room,” he added.
On the scene were members of the DeKalb County Fire Department’s Belk, Keltonburg, and Short Mountain stations, Tanker 2, Rehab, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department , and DeKalb County Emergency Medical Services.