Firefighters Respond to a Commercial Structure Fire in Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga, TN - Sunday, March 26,2006 - 9:45 am - City Of Chattanooga Firefighters responding to a house fire on 7th Avenue in Chattanooga, spotted a structure fire on West Side Drive at a commercial motel.

Several additional calls were also coming in to the 9-1-1 center at the same time that the firefighters spotted the blaze. Those firefighters continued their response to the house fire due to the motel that was reported on fire was vacant. Several other companies were immediately dispatched to the motel fire.

Within minutes the first engine company arrived on the scene and reported heavy involvement with flames through the roof. The next arriving engine company was requested to lay a supply line from a hydrant.

The first in ladder company was requested to quickly set up and start dumping water from the top of their ladder. With a large portion of the building already involved and flames leaping from the roof, an additional alarm was put out bringing several additional companies to the scene of the fire.

Firefighters had already been to this address the day before on a fire, but that was a brush fire behind the building. Today's fire was no brush fire and luckily the building had been vacant, because the hot blaze traveled rapidly through the structure cause substantial heat and fire damage.

Quick and aggressive firefighting tactic brought the fire under control in about an hour and a half.

Fire investigators were called to the scene of the fire due to the suspicious nature of having two fires at the same location in two days. Fire officials also called for a bull dozer to be brought to the scene to ensure that the building would not rekindle.

A dollar amount has not been determined although the building was destroyed. No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.

In all 12 City of Chattanooga Fire Companies, 4 City of Chattanooga Fire Chief's, Chattanooga Hamilton County Rescue, East Ridge Fire Department and Hamilton County EMS responded to the scene.