4/16/2009

A family in Lupton City is safe today thanks to a working smoke alarm.  Lacy Holt and Patrick Scarbrough told firefighters that they put a load of laundry in the dryer around 11:00 last night and went to bed.  About an hour later, while they were asleep, their smoke alarm activated.  Ms. Holt woke up her 5-year-old daughter and got out of the house while Mr. Scarbrough tried to track down the smell of smoke.  When he opened the door to the laundry room, he said the whole room was on fire.  He also got out safely and called 911.

Chattanooga firefighters responded to 3483 Northrop Street with four fire companies.  When the first firefighters arrived, flames had engulfed a good portion of the house.  The firefighters got the fire out fairly quickly, but the damage was extensive.  The dollar loss was estimated at around $60,000.  The family had two pets dogs.  One of the dogs perished in the blaze, despite efforts by firefighters to revive it with an animal rescue mask.

Captain Lesley Morgan with the Fire Investigation Division said the fire appears to have started in the laundry room, and appears to be accidental in nature.  Volunteers with the American Red Cross were called in to provide assistance to the family, which did not have renter's insurance.

###