An early morning apartment fire Tuesday forced the evacuation of a Chattanooga apartment building.
The Chattanooga Fire Department received the alarm around 1 a.m. and responded with several fire companies to Shepherd Hill Apartments at 404 Tunnel Blvd.
Battalion Chief Winston Shields said the fire started in a third story apartment. While some Chattanooga firefighters took up hand-held hoselines to attack the fire, others worked their way around the 12-unit, three-story building to make sure all of the residents were evacuated. Paramedics with Hamilton County EMS treated one unidentified woman on the scene for smoke inhalation. The victim was not transported to a hospital. No other injuries were reported.
Chief Shields said the firefighters were able to contain the fire to one apartment unit, which was occupied by three children, ages 15, 14 and 5. The mother was reportedly not home at the time of the fire. A couple of adjacent units had some smoke and water damage. The dollar loss was estimated at around $12,000.
Captain James Whitmire with the Fire Investigation Division said the cause of the fire is undetermined. The American Red Cross was called in to provide assistance to the victims.