Overnight Fire Destroys American Job Center Location in Kimball

KIMBALL – An overnight fire at the Marion County Regional Skills Center in Kimball heavily damaged the American Job Center (AJC) affiliate office located inside the Battlecreek Road facility. The office provides job seekers and local businesses with employment and workforce development services.

The fire started during the overnight hours while the center was closed, so no one was inside the building. Local firefighters worked diligently to contain the flames, and no one was injured while fighting the fire. Investigators are currently trying to determine how the fire started.

“This location provides much-needed job services to the people of Marion County and the fire is a tremendous setback for the area,” said the Center’s director Patrick O’Hagan. “The fire will disrupt the local availability of these services in the coming weeks.”

A temporary AJC is currently open at Chattanooga State’s Kimball campus. The temporary location is located at 2100 Main Street in Kimball. It will be open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., CT. Anyone needing questions or who may need assistance finding the location can call 423-837-9103.

Starting Monday, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development will also have its mobile American Job Center at the Chattanooga State to help provide additional services to job seekers.

The Regional Skills Center facility is owned by Marion County and Chattanooga State Community College has operated training and education programs for several decades at the location.

“The Southeast Tennessee Workforce Development Board is committed to working with Mayor Jackson to establish an alternate affiliate AJC and bring these crucial services back to the local area,” Holt said. “We are currently assessing the situation and in the coming days we will devise a plan to help make that happen.”

Marion County residents can also access full services at the comprehensive American Job Center located in the Eastgate Town Center at 5600 Brainerd Road in Chattanooga. That center is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. ET