News Releases

One person was taken to the hospital Friday morning from the scene of an apartment fire in Chattanooga. At 7:46 AM on 10/20/23, CFD Red Shift companies responded to the Elements of Chattanooga Apartments at 7310 Standifer Gap Road following reports of an apartment on fire in Building 6. Engine 15 arrived on scene to heavy smoke showing from the structure. A quick interior attack by Engine 15 and Ladder 13 personnel located a fire in a second story apartment. The fire was quickly extinguished and two dogs were rescued from the apartment. The only occupant at home when the fire started had exited the structure prior to CFD’s arrival. She was transported to the hospital by HCEMS for smoke inhalation. There were no other injuries. The fire was due to the occupant cooking and then falling asleep. The apartment of origin sustained damage and several other units had water damage. Engine 15, Ladder 13, Squad 13, Quint 6, Engine 4, Squad 7, Engine 4, Quint 10, Squad 19, Battalion 2, Battalion 3, and CFD’s Safety Chief responded. Our Fire Prevention Bureau urges residents to watch what they are heating and never leave cooking unattended. Set a timer as a reminder. If you leave the kitchen, turn the burner off.

Green Shift companies responded to a large scrap metal fire at 2912 South Market Street on Tuesday morning. The call came in at 8:14 AM on 10/17/23 to Gerdau Metals Recycling in Alton Park. Market Street had to be closed for fire hoses to provide a water supply. The initial fire company was dispatched to what 911 thought was a vehicle on fire. Firefighters arrived to find multiple vehicles on fire within a scrap yard and then full commercial response was initiated. Tires, fuel, debris and other material inside the scrap cars fueled the flames. Two excavators picked apart the burning 40-foot tall pile of vehicles and two master streams flowed water. By 11 AM, the fire was out. A cutting torch ignited the blaze when personnel at the business were working in the scrapyard. There were no injuries. Smoke from the fire was highly visible across the area, including Chattanooga, Fort Oglethorpe and beyond. Ladder 1, Quint 1, Squad 1, Quint 14, Ladder 5, Engine 5, Engine 9, Battalion 1, Battalion 3, CFD’s Training Staff, CFD’s Drone Unit, Hamilton County Rehab, CPD, and HCEMS were on this scene.

Chattanooga firefighters battled a large commercial fire Sunday afternoon. At 2:29 PM on 10/15/23, Red Shift companies responded to the 600 block of Hudson Road after 911 started taking numerous reports of billowing black smoke in the area. First arriving units found a vacant building fully engulfed in flames. They established a water supply and set up a master stream, launching a defensive fire attack. The structure was in the process of being demolished and collapsed on itself as it burned. With the master stream and multiple hose lines on the ground, the fire was under control in 30 minutes. Heavy machinery was used on the scene to knock down the remaining wall of the building in order to fully extinguish the blaze. There were no injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Quint 17, Quint 1, Squad 1, Ladder 1, Quint 14, Squad 20, Engine 12, Battalion 1, Battalion 3, CFD Supply, CFD Investigations, Dallas Bay’s Rehab Unit, HCEMS and CPD responded.

First responders conducted a water rescue on Constitution Drive Thursday morning in Chattanooga. The call came out at 10 AM on 10/12/23 after 911 received reports that a car was submerged in a large residential man-made pond behind homes in the Heritage Landing neighborhood. It appeared that one of the elderly residents drove through the wall of her garage and into the pond. Construction workers in the area tried to get the woman out of her sinking car, but they were weighed down by their tool belts in the deep water. Multiple attempts were made to free the victim. When firefighters arrived, the vehicle was completely underwater and they worked to stabilize the car. Divers made entry and extricated the patient. She was transported to the hospital. Crews then removed the car from the water. Squad 1, Ladder 1, Engine 12, CFD Safety Chief and Battalion 3 Green Shift responded, along with HCEMS, CPD, Dallas Bay Fire & Rescue and Hamilton County STARS.

Subsequent press release from Chattanooga Police: On October 12, 2023 at 9:58 a.m, Chattanooga Police and other agencies responded to the 1500 block of Heritage Landing Drive for a traffic crash and water rescue. Responders were advised a vehicle was in a pond after crashing through a wall of a residence. When officers arrived, the vehicle was already submerged in the water. Chattanooga Fire, Hamilton County EMS, Dallas Bay Fire & Rescue, and Hamilton County Special Tactics and Rescue Service ("STARS") responded to the scene to assist with the water rescue operation. Chattanooga Fire worked to stabilize the vehicle. STARS divers extracted the 84-year-old woman from the vehicle and Hamilton County EMS transported her to a local hospital. She died at the hospital. The preliminary traffic crash investigation indicates the driver placed the vehicle in drive then traveled through a garage wall and approximately 35 feet to a pond behind the residence. The vehicle began to take on water and drift towards the center of the pond. Bystanders attempted to make it to the vehicle in an attempt to rescue the victim, but were unable to successfully extract her. After she was extracted from the vehicle by STARS, the vehicle was removed from the pond. CPD's Traffic Unit will continue to investigate the circumstances of this incident.