CHATTANOOGA, Tenn - Sunday, August 23,2009 - 6:30 pm - City Of Chattanooga
Firefighters with several engine companies were dispatched to a reported
structure fire at a church on St. Elmo Avenue near 45th Street. Within
minutes, the first engine, Chattanooga Quint 14 was in the area and quickly
spotted the heavy smoke coming from the St. Elmo United Methodist Church at
4626 St. Elmo Avenue, on the corner of 47th Street. That engine company
reported a working fire in a large structure. Firefighters with Quint 14
quickly pulled an inch and 3/4 hose line and started an interior attack.
Meanwhile the Captain on that engine requested a second alarm assignment due
to the size of the building and the amount of involvement.
With additional arriving companies crews were
quickly met with heavy fire conditions inside the structure and had to back
out. The fire had already self vented through the roof and was quickly
traveling throughout the attic area. With nobody inside, firefighter safety
became an issue. Crews quickly turned to a defensive attack and set up
several aerial ladders and master streams to battle the blaze. Within a
matter of minutes, several large hose lines were laid from nearby fire
hydrants and ladders were over the fire dumping large volumes of water on
the inferno.
Crews used several hand lines as well to
protect nearby houses. All the streets around the church were shut down due
to the fire equipment and hoses that were being used to battle the blaze.
Neighbors and spectators grew in large crowds around the area, watching in
ah as the centre old church burned out of control. The churches pastor,
Reverend Mark Dowell, was one of the onlookers and stated he would rebuild
in the St. Elmo area. Reverend Dowell said that when he was alerted to the
fire he immediately ran next door to the church. He said he ran inside to
make sure no one was inside. After a quick search he was forced out by heavy
smoke and hearing things falling around him. Luckily there wasn't anyone
inside.
City of Chattanooga Firefighters battled
the fire for several hours, dumping thousands of gallons of water on the
blaze before finally bringing it under control. Unfortunately the fire had
been burning for some time before anyone noticed it and therefore had a real
big head start on the fire crews. By the time it was extinguished it had
consumed the entire sanctuary and caused major damage to the rest of the
building. An exact cause has not yet been determined, however investigators
are planning a full investigation. This fire coming on the heals of several
other major fires in the last few weeks, fire investigators are eager to
rule out foul play.
Story and photos by Bill Carson
