News Releases

A man who was pulled from his burning apartment building has passed away from injuries he sustained in the fire.

Hugh Lingerfelt, 83, died yesterday (7/7/20) at 1:55 PM at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Last week, multiple people, including Lingerfelt, were injured in a blaze at the Rustic Village North Apartments on Sunflower Lane.

It happened at 2:30 PM on June 30, prompting rescues by Chattanooga firefighters, police officers and citizens.

When firefighters arrived at the apartment complex, smoke and flames were visible from one of the buildings and residents were trapped on balconies.

Responding Chattanooga police officers and firefighters grabbed ladders to get five people down from balconies.

Good Samaritans rushed to help Lingerfelt, dragging him out of the building. His apartment was where the fire originated.

Firefighters then started searching the building as there were reports of possible entrapment. They did not find anyone trapped inside.

They aggressively attacked the fire and performed a vertical ventilation, cutting holes in the roof to let out heat and smoke inside the structure in order to improve firefighting conditions.

Flames were on both floors of the building and the attic. Crews kept battling the fire. It was deemed under control an hour later at 3:30 PM.

Several apartments sustained significant damage. Two dogs were also rescued.

Six people were transported to the hospital. Five people were treated and released with minor injuries. Lingerfelt was in critical condition. He was transferred to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries a week later.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Chattanooga Fire Department. Our thoughts are with Mr. Lingerfelt’s family and friends in the wake of his death.

The Chattanooga Fire Department is investigating two suspicious commercial fires on Hixson Pike. It's believed arson is to blame in both cases. 

The businesses involved are in close proximity to one another and the fires took place around the same time on the afternoon of July 4. They were also similar in nature.

First, we responded to 4221 Hixson Pike, the Precision Tune Auto Care at 3:35 PM.

Quint 16 was first on scene and found heavy black smoke coming from the building.

Tires and pallets were on fire at the back of the business.

Flames also got into the back bay where cars are worked on. Firefighters stopped the fire from getting to the oil tanks inside.

They got the fire out on the exterior and the interior and also extinguished a brush fire on the hill behind the structure.

There were no injuries.

Then, a few minutes later and right up the street, we were called to 4535 Hixson Pike at Southern Insurance Associates.

Units were in area for the first fire and they were able to respond quickly to the second location.

Bystanders spotted the fire from the road and called it in. They also used a garden hose and flower pot to try to put it out.

Flames were coming from a window at the back of the building when crews pulled up.

Firefighters got the window fire out and made entry into the business to check the interior. They made an investigation and determined that the fire was fully extinguished.

There was smoke damage to the inside of the building, as well as water and fire damage to a back office.

Firefighters saved an estimated $300,000 from being lost by stopping the fire from spreading. The owners believe there’s around $50,000 in damage to their offices.

The cause of both fires is under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to come forward. Fire investigators were on both scenes on Saturday.

Chief Phil Hyman pointed out the suspicious nature of the fires and thanked firefighters for working hard in the heat on what will be a busy day/night for the fire department.

“We will be looking into these fires and piecing everything together. Anytime you have something like this happen with the same methods used in the same area at the same time, it raises eyebrows. Our crews did a great job saving these businesses, as well as other businesses and residential areas around them,” he said on the scene.

Evidence shows it was the same person who intentionally set both fires. The investigation is ongoing.

A St. Elmo barbeque restaurant is dealing with fire damage at the start of the Fourth of July weekend.

CFD responded to the Purple Daisy Picnic Café on St. Elmo Avenue at 8:50 AM Friday.

As crews were headed to the scene, smoke was visible. They found a large commercial-size smoker on fire outside of the business.

They attacked the fire and got it out. Firefighters also extinguished a small brush fire that started behind the building.

Quint 14, Ladder 1, Engine 1, Squad 1 and Battalion 1 responded to the scene.

There were no injuries.

There’s an estimated $20,000 in damage, according to the owner.

Officials on the scene believe grease started the fire and then flames extended beyond the smoker to the area around it, as well as the grass. But firefighters’ quick work kept the fire from reaching the interior of the restaurant, confining it to the cooking section.

On June 30, multiple people were injured in an apartment fire, prompting rescues by Chattanooga firefighters and police officers.

It happened at the Rustic Village North Apartments on Sunflower Lane, not far off Highway 58. When Quint 6 arrived at the apartment complex, smoke and flames were visible from one of the buildings and residents were trapped on balconies. A second alarm was called to bring additional fire companies to the scene.

Responding Chattanooga police officers and firefighters grabbed ladders to get five people down from balconies. Good Samaritans pulled another injured man out of the burning building from the ground floor.

A total of six people were transported to the hospital.

Firefighters then started searching the building as there were reports of possible entrapment. They did not find anyone trapped inside. They aggressively attacked the fire and performed a vertical ventilation, cutting holes in the roof to let out heat and smoke inside the structure in order to improve firefighting conditions.

Flames were on both floors of the building and the attic. Crews kept battling the fire. It was deemed under control an hour later at 3:30 PM.

Responding units: Squads 7, 13 and 19; Quints 6, 8, 10, 19; Engines 4, 15; Hamilton County EMS; Mutual aid filling our fire halls for continued coverage; CPD; EPB; IDU from Hamilton County 911; Chattanooga-Hamilton County Rescue Support Services.

Several apartments sustained significant damage. Two dogs were also rescued.

Those in command of the response commended the quick actions and hard work of everyone on the scene who worked to save lives and property.

“Everybody did a great job. I can’t commend these police officers and firefighters enough. They did tremendous work out here,” said Battalion Chief David Thompson Jr., incident commander.

The cause of the apartment fire is undetermined and remains under investigation.

The man who was pulled out of the burning building by citizens was in critical condition at last check. He suffered smoke inhalation. His apartment was where the fire originated.

Other residents were treated and released from the hospital with minor injuries.