1/28/2009

No injuries were reported in connection with a house fire this afternoon.  Kevin Brown (18) told firefighters that he was home at the time and started smelling smoke.  When he walked around the house to investigate, he saw smoke and flames in one of the rooms.  Mr. Brown left the house and ran about two blocks to Fire Station 1 on E. Main Street to get help.  The firefighters notified 911 Communications and responded to 1713 Mitchell Avenue at 4:43 p.m.

When the firefighters arrived on the scene, smoke and flames were pouring out most of the windows in the two-story house.  The firefighters attacked the fire from the inside and out with hand-held hoselines.  Their efforts were complicated by the construction of the house.  Several rooms had been added over the years and the flames had spread in between the walls and were hard to get to.  The firefighters had to tear open the walls to get most of the fire out, which took roughly an hour.

Two adults also lived in the house, but they were gone at the time of the fire.  The house is considered a total loss.  Volunteers with the Chattanooga chapter of the American Red Cross were contacted to provide assistance to the fire victims.  The cause of the fire is currently undetermined and under investigation.  Chattanooga police and Hamilton County EMS also provided assistance on the scene.

###