The East Ridge Fire-Rescue Department responded quickly to a fire in a patient's room at a nursing home on Sunday night.
The unit was dispatched at 7:20 p.m. to Life Care Center of East Ridge, 1500 Fincher Ave.
Firefighters arrived within four minutes to find light smoke in one room and a hallway. Firefighters quickly determined that the fire was an electrical short circuit in a heating/air conditioning unit.
Firefighters isolated the problem and used fans to remove smoke and odor from the building.
Nursing home staff had already followed the fire plan and removed the room's occupants to a safe location and closed the fire door to the room as firefighters were arriving.
Chief Eddie Phillips said, "The professional action of both the nurses on duty and the fast response of firefighters kept damage to a minimum and prevented any injuries to patients. There were a few tense moments as smoke filled the patient room and hallway but everyone followed their training and quickly removed the patients from danger and isolated the fire room as firefighters prepared for both an interior attack and search and rescue operations.
"We are very proud of both the fast action of the nursing home staff and the fast response of firefighters. There have been a number of tragic fires in nursing homes and they did exactly what they were suppossed to do to protect the patients.
"This could have been a tragedy if the fire had been allowed to burn longer or if the fire doors had not been closed allowing the deadly smoke to spread throughout the building."
East Ridge firefighters responding included Engine 1, Squad 1, Engine 2, Ladder 3, Support 7, Rescue 9, Battalion 1 and Fort Oglethorpe Engine 10.