A 62-year-old woman is clinging to life at Erlanger Medical Center after she was critically injured in a Monday morning fire in her duplex at 4408 Delashmitt Road.
She was identified as Emma Faye Moses.
Two Chattanooga police officers were in the area and were the first to arrive on the scene, shortly after 5 a.m.
Patrol Officer April Bolton said she checked the front door with her hand and it was very hot to the touch. She then ran around to a side door and kicked it in. Officer Bolton said the victim was lying motionless on the kitchen floor, just a few feet from the door.
Officer Bolton and fellow Patrol Officer Rodney Brown pulled the victim out and handed her over to paramedics with Hamilton County EMS. The victim reportedly had serious burns and appeared to be suffering from severe smoke inhalation.
As the police officers were pulling the victim out, Chattanooga firefighters arrived on the scene. Battalion Chief Thaddeus Morton said the firefighters quickly contained the blaze to the B-side of the duplex. The other side had some minor smoke damage.
In Apt. A, Daniel Cruz, 24, said his dog woke him up around 4:30 a.m., so he took him out for a short walk. Once outside, Mr. Cruz said his dog acted strangely, even putting his tail between his legs. Mr. Cruz said he looked around, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary, so he took his dog back inside and went back to bed.
About 20 to 30 minutes later, Mr. Cruz said he heard a beeping noise, and then a loud bang. When he went outside again, he could see smoke coming from the apartment next door.
Mr. Cruz called 911, and moments later, Chattanooga police and firefighters arrived.
Lieutenant Henry McElvain with the Fire Investigation Division said the fire started in the front living room, and appears to be accidental in nature. Based on the physical evidence and eyewitness accounts, Investigator McElvain believes the fire was started by careless smoking. Lt. McElvain added that Ms. Moses was on an oxygen machine, which likely accelerated the spread of the fire. Fire Investigator Captain Lesley Morgan is assisting with the investigation.