03-25-2013 Elderly Man Dies in House Fire

When they went to investigate, they saw flames on the back porch. The husband grabbed a portable fire extinguisher and attempted to put the fire out himself, but the wind-swept flames were too intense to extinguish. The flames had penetrated into the kitchen area and with smoke building in the house, the woman tried to get her elderly father out, but was unsuccessful. The husband and wife escaped out the front door, reportedly with singed hair, but otherwise uninjured. Once out of the house, they called 911.

Chattanooga police patrol officers reported huge flames as Chattanooga firefighters arrived on the scene. Battalion Chief Jeff Eldridge said most of the flames were on the back side of the house, but the high winds helped the flames spread rapidly. The firefighters were told that someone was still inside, so they tried to make entry. By then, most of the house was engulfed in flames, and when the roof began to collapse in on the firefighters, the order was given to get out and fight the fire defensively.

After most of the fire was extinguished, the firefighters found a body on the floor near the front door. The Major Crimes Division with the Chattanooga Police Department was called in, which is standard protocol when a fatality is involved. The cause of the fire is undetermined and under investigation. Hamilton County EMS also provided assistance on the scene.

Further updates will be provided when additional information is obtained.

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