The cause of Saturday morning’s fire at Boynton Terrace Apartments, where a resident was rescued by firefighters, has been ruled accidental.
Captain Anthony Moore with the Fire Investigation Division said the fire was most likely caused by food being left unattended on the stove. After igniting on the stove, the fire then spread from the stove to the kitchen area before being extinguished.
Two Chattanooga firefighters found the apartment resident, Wayne Emilien, in bed. Captain Don Bowman said the man was either unconscious, or in a deep sleep, possibly from breathing in the toxic smoke.
The firefighters carried the victim out of the apartment, administered oxygen to him, and then handed him off to paramedics with Hamilton County EMS. The victim was then transported to Erlanger Hospital, where he was treated and released for smoke inhalation.