News Releases

Five people were rescued from the balcony of their burning apartment by Chattanooga firefighters late Sunday night after being trapped by flames. On 5/14/23 at 10:25 PM, Blue Shift companies responded to the Elements of Chattanooga Apartments at 7310 Standifer Gap Road and found a working apartment fire in a second-floor unit in Building 16 at the complex. Firefighters received reports that people were possibly trapped inside so they quickly identified where the fire was and made entry. Flames prevented them from getting to the endangered residents so other crews went around to the balcony where three children and two adults were waiting for help. They were forced out onto the balcony by fire in the middle of their apartment. Firefighters assisted all five people down a ladder to safety and got the fire extinguished quickly after that. There were no injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The apartment of origin sustained damage and the impacted residents are receiving assistance from the apartment complex. No other units were damaged and no other residents were displaced. Quint 8, Quint 6, Quint 21, Squad 13, Ladder 13, Ladder 7, Squad 7, Ladder 19, Squad 19, Engine 15, Battalion 2 and Battalion 1 responded, along with HCEMS, EPB and CPD. 

Firefighters came to the aid of a rock climber in trouble on the west side of Lookout Mountain. Chattanooga Fire and Lookout Mountain Fire personnel responded to Sunset Rock on Sunday morning (5/14/23). The 24-year-old climber got stuck on the side of the cliff and was hanging by a rope. First responders located him from the top and conducted a high angle rescue. He was descending the rock face and didn’t bring enough rope. He was not injured. CFD Squad 1, Squad 20, Quint 14, USAR 1 and Battalion 1 Blue Shift responded. The Chattanooga Fire Department and other area agencies train regularly throughout the year on rope rescues so that we are prepared to respond to these incidents.

Flames destroyed a secluded home on Mountain Creek Road late Wednesday night, but thankfully, all of the residents escaped and were not injured. At 11:25 PM on 5/10/23, CFD Green Shift companies responded to a residence in the 4400 block of Mountain Creek Road after receiving reports that the home was on fire and situated “way back off the main road.” The structure was fully involved on CFD’s arrival and crews immediately started attacking the fire with tank water from first-arriving trucks. As that was happening, other firefighters laid more than 2,000 feet of supply line due to the closest fire hydrant being a mile away. Setting up a hose relay is laborious and taxing. A second alarm was called to bring more personnel to the scene and our mutual aid partners helped provide coverage at our fire halls. Members of the CFD remained on scene into the early hours of Thursday 5/11/23 hitting hot spots. They also successfully kept the fire from spreading into the surrounding woods. There were no injuries. The cause is under investigation. Quint 17, Tanker 17, Engine 12, Engine 22, Ladder 19, Squad 19, Quint 10, Quint 16, Ladder 1, Quint 1, Squad 1, Battalion 1 and Battalion 3 responded.

Engine 9, Squad 1, Squad 13, Battalion 1 Green Shift responded to a two-vehicle wreck with entrapment on Interstate 24 Eastbound at the Moore Rd Exit on 5/10/23 at 8 AM. I-24 was shut down by TDOT and the Chattanooga Police Department while one party was extricated from the red pickup. There were four adults and an infant in the red truck. There was one serious injury to the driver who was transported to the hospital by HCEMS.