Monday, February 13, 2006, East Ridge, Tennessee, at approximately 10:35 am, the East Ridge Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire involving a garage that housed an apartment inside. Initial reports were of possible entrapment.
The first due engine company arrived within five minutes to find heavy fire coming from the structure. The garage, which did contain living quarters, was not attached to the main house but was less than 20 feet from the residence. Other apparatus including two more engine companies, a ladder company, and two resuce units responded and several lines were put into action.
Unfortunately, the structure collapsed almost immediately. Firefighters did ascertain however, that there was no one inside.
Firefighters were in a defensive mode from the beginning and did a superb job of containg the fire to the garage structure and keeping it from spreading to the adjacent house.
The were no injuries reported.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The building was a total loss.
During the initial investigation, East Ridge Police Department determined that the occupant of the garage apartment was on house arrest and that several warrants existed for him.
He was taken into custody at the scene without incident.
The Chattanooga Hamilton County Rescue Squad provided rehab.
