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Saturday, November 14, 2026Nov 14

Bradley County says new fire stations were improperly built

Bradley County Fire & Rescue's Hopewell Station, located on Georegetown Road, is one of three new fire stations that has been named in a lawsuit recently filed by the county. The county alleges that improper design and construction have resulted in problems with the roofs, air conditioning and doors at the fire stations, which went operational in July 2013.
Bradley County Fire & Rescue's Hopewell Station, located on Georegetown Road, is one of three new fire stations that has been named in a lawsuit recently filed by the county. The county alleges that improper design and construction have resulted in problems with the roofs, air conditioning and doors at the fire stations, which went operational in July 2013.

CLEVELAND, Tenn. – Bradley County is seeking compensation for the estimated $300,000 it will take to overhaul the roofs, air conditioning and doors of three fire stations that officially went operational July 1, 2013.

A lawsuit filed by Bradley County Attorney Crystal Freiberg in late June alleges that the wide range of problems experienced by the Minnis Road, Waterville and Hopewell fire stations was because of “improper design and construction.”

Construction Consultants of Chattanooga; Kaatz, Binkley, Jones & Morris of Mount Juliet, Tenn.; and Thompson Engineering of Mobile, Ala., are named as defendants in the lawsuit. None of the defendants have responded to requests for comment.

Bradley County’s lawsuit alleges that all three stations have air conditioning systems that continue “to be unbalanced and inconsistent in heating and cooling, resulting in excessive operation costs,” citing a review performed by engineering consultant Mack McCarley.

McCarley’s assessment also calls for the roofs of each station to be replaced, “due to improper installation” and cites the “installation and functionality” of the stations’ doors.