Kitchen Fire at Oakhill Correctional Institution

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UPDATE: Tuesday, July 1, 2008 --- 10:25 a.m.

According to an NBC 15 reporter on the scene, two maintenance workers and an inmate were working in the boiler room below the food service area. When they went to re-light the boiler an explosion occured. All three were sent to local emergency rooms with minor injuries.

Damage was confined to the lower level boiler area. As a precaution the entire building was evacuated - including 200 inmates and 10 staff members. As of 10:15am everyone was still evacuated even though the Fire Department crews had left.

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UPDATE: Tuesday, July 1, 2008 --- 9:30 a.m.

The event is being referred to by crews on the scene as a fire rather than an explosion.

Personal have responded to a fire in the food service area, evacuating the housing units connected to the food service area.

Are evacuating as a precaution according to Public Information Director of the institution John Dipko. He did not know if there are injuries.

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Tuesday, July 1, 2008 --- 8:55 a.m.

The city of Fitchburg Fire Department reports they are responding to the Oakhill Correctional Institution for a possible gas explosion. The Fire Department has confirmed there are two minor injuries due to the gas leak.

Oakhill Correctional Institution is located on County HWY M in Oregon.

Fire Department crews are on the scene now.

Stay tuned to nbc15.com for instant updates.

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Posted by: Gary Location: Jefferson on Jul 4, 2008 at 07:57 AM
I know about accidents, but as a building code inspector, I am curious as to what was repaired and who was working on this boiler. I would bet a dollar to a donut, that if it was in fact a leak in the gas line that caused the fire, they did not perform a gas line test (high/low pressure) or did not perform it correctly. If they did, the leak would have been found. Not placing blame just relaying what I know and curious to know the final findings relating to this incident. NBC 15, how about an in-depth follow-up. Troy, you seem to have a vested interest in this subject as you have family members that work there. I can tell you this, I have been involved in numerous inspections and found that people working on electrical, plumbing and gas lines are not as educated as they seem to think they are. Not saying the people here fall into that group, but have seen it numerous times.

Posted by: Troy on Jul 3, 2008 at 10:49 AM
I must apoligize to NBC15 for not getting names because they were unavailible to them at the time they updated the story. Hopefully, NBC15 could include a statement in the next story about when someone is injured but the name is not availible at this time so this wont happen again. Gary, Inmates actually work and help around the facility because it is a min security prison and the inmates are about ready to get into the REAL world. The maintainance crews are educated in thier field of work and, like most jobs out there, there will be accidents.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 2, 2008 at 05:59 PM
Hey Gary, maybe the inmate was getting an apprentice from the jail in the maintenance department. And yes, it could have been an accident, although I do find when people are in any type of law enforcement, corrections for some reason they seem to always have a difficult time dotting i's and crossing T's. One would think in that field it would be perfected.

Posted by: Gary Location: Jefferson on Jul 2, 2008 at 03:42 PM
I think the real question should be do the people working on the boiler have the right credentials to be doing so? Or is the facility trying to save money by having unqualified individuals making these types of repairs? Was there any type of gas test done after the work was completed or did they just "fire up" the boiler? Does not take a brain surgeon to know, if gas supplied appliances are needing repair, repairs made, there should be a test completed to verify there are no leaks in the lines. Sounds to me someone did not know exactly what they were doing. And I agree, what was an inmate doing working on this to begin with? Unless he is licensed to do so, one has to wonder!

Posted by: RR on Jul 2, 2008 at 09:43 AM
JJ is a REAL loser read some of the comments this person posted on other stories .... your pathetic. My dad retired there, Troy and it is not a filthy dump ... maybe loser jj was a inmate to know this kind of info....

Posted by: Troy on Jul 2, 2008 at 07:50 AM
JJ, have u ever been in there? Because while talking to Uncle and Cousin that actually work there, it is NOT a filthy, dump that YOU discribe. And WOW. Must be sad to be as lonely as you that you do not care about family.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 1, 2008 at 07:16 PM
Hey nbc 15 it appears you hurt Troys feelings over there.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 1, 2008 at 06:13 PM
Your Uncle must not important enough Troy.

Posted by: JJ Location: Dane on Jul 1, 2008 at 05:32 PM
Whoopee Doooo Troy!!

Posted by: troy on Jul 1, 2008 at 04:36 PM
NO Nsmes??? My uncle is a Maintainance worker there. Come on NBC15, update this story.

Posted by: k on Jul 1, 2008 at 04:35 PM
okay... wait why was there an inmate working on this??? why was the building still evacuated after the fire dept left??

Posted by: JJ Location: Dane on Jul 1, 2008 at 04:16 PM
I hope they remodel.That Kitchen is a filthy dump infested with Mice and who-knows what !!

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 1, 2008 at 01:52 PM
No we are not. And next time be more careful not to burn the collards and grits!

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 1, 2008 at 11:17 AM
So will we be buying gas leak detectors now?

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