Nine families will have to spend the Labor Day weekend somewhere else after being forced from their homes by an apartment fire on Friday afternoon.

The Chattanooga Fire Department received the alarm at 2:22 p.m. and responded with six fire companies to City View Apartments at 2709 Citico Ave.

The first firefighters on the scene located a large fire in the breezeway of a three-story apartment building. The flames appeared to have originated on the first floor, but the fire had spread to all three floors in the breezeway and was beginning to get into the attic.

Lt. Chip Manning said firefighters with Engine 4 and Engine 5 made the initial attack on the fire. All of the residents who were home at the time had already evacuated. When the flames got into the attic, Battalion Chief Winston Shields called for a second alarm response to bring in five additional fire companies. The firefighters were able to get the blaze under control in roughly 15 to 20 minutes.

Chief Shields said three apartment units had some fire damage and a few others had smoke and water damage. Since the wiring was damaged in the fire, the electrical meters for all nine apartment units had to be pulled, leaving all of the occupants homeless. Volunteers with the American Red Cross were called in to provide assistance to the victims.

A 71-year-old woman was transported to a local hospital by paramedics with Hamilton County EMS. Lieutenant Anthony Moore with the Fire Investigation Division checked on her condition later Friday afternoon, reporting that she was more ill from the stress of the fire, rather than from smoke inhalation. He said the woman was expected to be treated and released in a few hours.

The cause of the fire appears to be suspicious in nature. Lieutenant Henry McElvain with the Fire Investigation Division said a mattress, box springs and other combustible materials in the breezeway on the first floor appears to have been deliberately set on fire. For now, the cause of the fire will be listed as undetermined and under investigation. An estimate on the dollar loss was not immediately available.

Fire Marshal Craig Haney notified City View apartment managers of two fire code violations. The first was the combustible materials that were piled up in the breezeway, and the other violation involved the use of a grill on the second floor. Chattanooga police and Chattanooga-Hamilton County Rescue also provided assistance on the scene.

David Kaplan (in red and white vest) and Mark Wilson, far left, were the first of several Red Cross volunteers who arrived to provide assistance to the fire victims. Several families were expected to be placed in local motels by the Red Cross.
- Photo2 by Bruce Garner