High Rise Fire Displaces Patten Towers Residents

The Chattanooga Fire Department conducted a massive response to The Patten Apartment Homes Saturday as crews fought a third alarm high rise fire. The call went out at 10:36 AM to the apartments on E 11th Street in the heart of Downtown Chattanooga. Nearly every company working for the CFD today (Green Shift) responded to the scene or staged, ready to respond to help with manpower. Off-duty members of the department came in, including the command staff, to assist and many of our Mutual Aid partners filled in at our fire halls. 

The fire was in an apartment on the 7th floor. Firefighters had a fast knockdown on it and then dealt with hot spots and smoke throughout the building. It was a tremendous amount of work getting tools and resources upstairs and firefighters also helped with evacuations. A number of residents are non-ambulatory and needed to be carried out of the building. The divisions worked effectively and efficiently on the scene and the fire was out at 11:44 AM. Firefighters then checked every single apartment for extension and went about a huge overhaul process. Floors 7, 8, and 9 were severely impacted by the fire, but the entire building needed to be evacuated due to damage (including smoke and water), impacting all 106 residents. The American Red Cross is assisting them now. One resident was transported to the hospital with smoke inhalation. Three firefighters were treated on the scene for minor burns. 

Thank you to the City of Chattanooga’s leadership who assisted on the scene as well as CARTA for providing buses for residents. Along with the many members of CFD who worked this incident, other agencies included: CPD, Hamilton County EMS, Hamilton County 911’s Incident Dispatch Unit and Chattanooga Hamilton County Rescue’s Rehab Truck Response. Fire departments from across the region have been at our fire halls helping to respond to calls and we very much appreciate the support we receive from Mutual Aid. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The city is working in partnership with the American Red Cross and property owner to make sure the residents are taken of following the Patten Towers fire. They are being provided shelter and meals. 

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