04-03-14 Business Fire Under Investigation

The building was shared by the Blue Spot lounge and Mercury Cab. Captain David Brooks with Engine 4 said the fire was located toward the rear of the lounge and was spreading rapidly up into the attic.

Captain Brooks said their initial efforts to put the fire out were hampered by fortified locked doors. They simply could not get in to the lounge. The firefighters used power saws and other tools to get through the locks, but were unsuccessful. So, Captain Brooks said the firefighters went in the Mercury Cab side of the building and cut through an interior wall to get into the lounge. By then, the flames had spread well into the attic, so the firefighters had to cut their way into the attic to get water on the fire. It took roughly 30 minutes to get the blaze under control. No injuries were reported.

While fire caused extensive damage to the Blue Spot, the Mercury Cab business next door was spared any fire damage. An interior wall was damaged when the firefighters had to cut through it, but the firefighters prevented a lot of water damage by placing tarps over the furniture and office equipment.

The Blue Spot was reportedly unoccupied at the time of the fire and did not have any electrical service. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Chattanooga police, Hamilton County EMS and EPB provided assistance on the scene.

In the photo: Chattanooga firefighters attacked the fire from the inside and out in an effort to get the blaze under control.