CHATTANOOGA, Tenn - Wednesday, October 6,2010 - 3:15 pm - City of
Chattanooga Fire Department was alerted of a car fire in the 500 Block of
Spruce Street. When the first Engine Company arrived on the scene they
quickly reported a car fully involved between to house. The firefighters
also reported the fire had spread to the nearby houses and requested
additional engine companies to the scene. Crews immediately started an
interior attack on both structures. Within just seconds, several additional
fire crews arrived on the scene and started assisting with the fire attack.
Unfortunately one of the houses was already
heavily involved and flames started breaking through the roof. Fire command
immediately pulled those crews out and set up a defensive attack. The other
crews that were battling the house fire next door actually gained the upper
hand quickly and were able to bring that fire under control quickly. The
house that was heavily involved, quickly became the main focus of fire crews
as they made an aggressive exterior attack in an effort to bring it under
control.
Bailey Avenue, between Central Avenue and
Holtzclaw had to be shut down while fire crews battled the blaze. Equipment
and hoses were stretch across the roadway to supply firefighting efforts.
There were no reports of any injuries in connection with the fire, however
the homeowners were displaced. The American Red Cross was called to the
scene to assist them with a place to stay clothing. Fire crews were able to
extinguish the blaze after about two hours. The one house and the car were
totally destroyed, and the other house sustained heavy damage. The cause of
the car fire is still under investigation.
Story and photos by Barb Wuelfing
