John Coffelt, Editor

Manchester Fire Department Station One saw a series of repairs leading up to the December Safety Committee meeting.

Fire Chief George Chambers told the commission that the air ducts were replaced in the living area of Station One.

The ductwork, in place since the mid-eighties,  was showing mold growth. The registers and returns were also replaced.

Chambers said the roof leak was showing and there were repairs made in house. A second floor window was observed to leak, and five windows on five south side of the building are being replaced for approximately $4,800 by All Glass.

Station Two will see a new floor.

A special call Safety Committee meeting will be held at Station One in response to letters submitted to Alderman Bob Bellamy. Bellamy did not disclose the exact nature or perceived validity of the letters, only saying that the matter needed to be addressed after the holidays. The meeting will be at 5 p.m., Jan. 4. 

Chambers also reported the Department made 91 responses in November, six of those were fires. Those fires included two structure fires, one each grass and shed fires and a swing set burned at Continental Apartments.

The fire inspector inspected 15 structures and the department installed 27 smoke alarms in 13 homes.     

During the month, MFD responded to a hazmat situation at Busy Corner Truck Stop.  A truck leaking 24d AMINE herbicide was parked at the Beech Grove business.

The truck had been leaking since it left Missouri, only to be noticed after sitting for about four hours at Busy Corner.

The MFD and Tullahoma Fire Hazmat teams responded and cleaned up the spill.

The cause of the mechanical problems with Engine One, Chambers reported, was due to gasoline in the tank of the diesel firetruck.

Chambers said that after receiving the truck following repairs a crew took the truck to a local Circle K on Interstate Drive to refuel. The receipt from that purchase shows the firefighter filled the vehicle using the diesel pump number 12.

But soon after that, the engine began clanking. Damages to the engine amount to about $10,000.

Chambers reported that the store management has not had any other complaints about gasoline in the diesel.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.