2/21/2008

Quick work by Chattanooga firefighters last night saved an apartment building on Mountain Creek Road.  The fire occurred around 10:30 p.m. at Mountain Creek Apartments.  Karen Lomen told firefighters that earlier in the evening, she smelled an unpleasant odor and went upstairs to her daughter's bedroom and found a lamp knocked over on a couch.  She said the lamp had scorched the fabric on the couch, so she poured water on it to make sure it was completely out.  About an hour and a half later, Ms. Lomen started smelling something again and saw smoke coming from the air conditioning vents.  When she went upstairs and opened the bedroom door, she saw flames in the room.  She closed the door to the bedroom, got her children out and called 911.

The Chattanooga Fire Department responded with six fire companies.  Captain Bill Sparks with Quint 17 said smoke was visible when the first firefighters arrived on the scene.  The firefighters attacked the fire in the bedroom quickly, getting the fire under control in just a few minutes.  Captain Sparks said the fire damage was contained to the bedroom, though there was some smoke and water damage to the rest of the apartment unit.  No injuries were reported.

Volunteers with the American Red Cross were called in to provide assistance to the family.  An estimate on the dollar loss was not available.  Captain Sparks is listing the cause of the fire as accidental.

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