Chemical Reaction Causes Small Explosion Inside Chattanooga Apartment

A flash fire left a worker with injuries at an apartment complex Monday morning in Chattanooga. At 10:45 AM on 3/20/23, CFD companies responded to the Marina Pointe Apartments on Lake Resort Drive. Someone was working in a vacant apartment at the complex resurfacing a bathtub. During that process, chemicals were sprayed and with no ventilation, vapors built up. The vapors caught a spark and caused a small explosion, blowing out the windows of the apartment and blowing the bathroom door off its hinges. The worker was left with burns and she was transported to the hospital for further treatment. The apartment building was evacuated and firefighters carefully monitored the air quality of every unit to make sure that it was safe for residents to return to their homes. Everyone is back in their apartments at this time. A city building inspector came to the scene to check the structure out of an abundance of caution. CFD’s Special Operations Division responded, along with Quint 16, Ladder 19, Squad 19, Battalion 3, Squad 1, Hazmat 1 (Red Shift) and HCEMS.

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