03-21-16 Fire Guts House in East Lake

Seeing the magnitude of the fire, Battalion Chief Chris Willmore called for a fifth fire company to bring in additional personnel and equipment. The fire spread very quickly and when it broke through the roof, Chief Willmore ordered the firefighters out of the structure for their own safety. The firefighters worked to contain the fire from the outside, using handheld hoselines and "deck guns" from the fire apparatus.

It took the firefighters roughly an hour to get the blaze under control. The house will be considered a total loss. Chief Willmore said the fire appears to have started on the back porch, though what sparked the blaze remains undetermined.

The house was described as a group home for three adults. One one of the adults was reportedly there when the fire broke out. Volunteers with the American Red Cross of Southeast Tennessee were asked to respond to the scene to assist the three people displaced by the fire. Chattanooga police, Hamilton County EMS and EPB also provided assistance on the scene.