Chattanooga firefighters rushed to the scene of a house fire shortly after 3 a.m. Friday at 6804 Ty Hi Dr.
Jerry Pelham said he was asleep in bed when his wife woke up and noticed "a glow from the bedroom window." The couple discovered moments later that there was a fire in their screened-in porch. They called 911 and got out of the house.
Capt. Jeff Eldridge with Quint 8 said the rear of the house was fully engulfed in flames when the first firefighters arrived on the scene. As the flames spread into an attached garage and the attic, the firefighters had to tear down a portion of a wooden fence to gain access to the back of the house. It took roughly 30 minutes before the firefighters could get the blaze under control.
The loss was estimated at $105,000, which included damage to a Volvo in the garage. No injuries were reported.
The couple had three pet cats. Capt. Eldridge said two perished in the blaze. The third cat could not be located. Volunteers with the local Red Cross were called in to provide assistance to Mr. Pelham and his wife. The cause of the fire is under investigation.