Today's News

The need for cooperation between fire departments was made clear recently by two major Harriman fires — one massive, the other fatal.

Many area fire departments rolled out to help with the Jan. 8 inferno that razed the downtown Miller & Brewer building, and then again at Monday’s Margrave Street fire that killed a 65-year-old woman.

That kind of mutual aid between departments is common at larger, more complicated fires.

A closer working relationship may soon emerge between Kingston and Harriman fire departments, however.

The long-burning fire that destroyed the old Miller & Brewer building is out.

“We actually just got the rest of the fire out yesterday,” said Harriman Fire Chief Brad Goss on Thursday.

The fallen building smoldered for days after a fire gutted it on Jan. 8, and water could not reach the burning debris under the rubble.

On Tuesday, Harriman City Council hired local company Ace Inc. to clear out the bricks so firefighters could extinguish the fire completely.

Frances Ann Powell Snow’s family are mourning a willful but loving mother, grandmother and sister.

“We love her very much and miss her,” said daughter B.J. Allison, of Snow, who died in a Harriman house fire Monday.

“She was a wonderful mother,” added daughter Shannon Allison. “She was always there when she was needed.”

The 65-year-old disabled woman was the only one at home when fire broke out at 505 Margrave St. Other family members were at work.

Less than a month after he told the state his office was “very capable” of completing the reappraisal, Roane County Property Assessor David Morgan hired Patriot Properties Inc. for help.

“My job as property assessor is to use all available resources to get the job done, and Patriot is a valuable resource,” Morgan said.