07-12-16 Firefighters Battle 2-Alarm Blaze at Old Textile Building

They could see the flames from miles away. As the initial fire companies arrived on the scene at the old Standard Coosa Thatcher plant, most of the old textile mill, closed for years, was engulfed in flames. The building covered the equivalent of an entire city block.

Battalion Chief Chris Willmore called for a second alarm response, bringing the total number of fire companies on the scene to 10. The firefighters raised their aerials to pour large amounts of water on top of the building, while firefighters used hand-held hoselines around the building to keep the fire from spreading to neighboring homes. Chief Willmore said it took 40 firefighters up to two hours to get the fire contained. It would take a lot longer to get all the hot spots out. One firefighter was treated on the scene by Hamilton County EMS for heat exhaustion.

The building was supposedly vacant, but it will take firefighters several hours to search through the building to confirm that no one was inside at the time of the fire. A trackhoe with city public works has been called in to tear down parts of the building to help firefighters finish putting out the hot spots. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Chattanooga police provided valuable assistance with traffic control, and also helped to keep motorists from driving over the firefighters' hoselines. Chattanooga-Hamilton County Rescue was also there with its Rehab truck to help keep the firefighters hydrated.

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