Chattanooga firefighters responded to a house fire in Brainerd Monday morning.
Mark Reckard said that as he left his bedroom, he noticed "a glow" in the vicinity of the back deck. When he looked outside, most of the deck was on fire.
Mr. Reckard said he tried to put the fire out himself with a garden hose, but was unsuccessful in getting the fire out. In his haste to get to the deck, the back door shut behind him and locked him out.
Mr. Reckard broke a glass window to get back in to call 9-1-1 and suffered a cut to an arm in the process. His wife was away at the time.
Chattanooga firefighters arrived at 112 Hemphill Ave. shortly before 10 a.m. Battalion Chief Mike Knox said the fire was just beginning to penetrate the wall and get into the house when the firefighters got the blaze under control. Most of the fire damage was kept to the deck and outside wall. However, electrical service to the house had to be disconnected.
Chief Knox called for volunteers with the Red Cross to assist Mr. Reckard and his wife in their recovery efforts. Mr. Reckard refused treatment from Hamilton County EMS for the cut to his arm.
Lieutenant Henry McElvain with the Fire Investigation Division said the cause of the fire appears be accidental in nature, though what exactly sparked the blaze remains undetermined. Lt. McElvain estimated the loss at around $30,000.