Quick work by Chattanooga firefighters kept a house from being totally destroyed by fire early Monday morning.
The Chattanooga Fire Department received the alarm at 5:05 a.m. and responded to 6635 Shallowford Road with four fire companies.
Battalion Chief Mike Knox said smoke and flames were visible on one end of the house when the first firefighters arrived on the scene. The firefighters made a quick interior attack on the fire and managed to contain most of the fire damage to the one end of the house. The rest of the house sustained smoke damage.
A thorough search of the house was conducted, but no one was found inside. Chief Knox said two people were seen outside the house when firefighters first arrived, but they left the scene minutes later.
A fire investigator was called in to help determine the cause of the fire. For now, the cause is undetermined.