Chattanooga firefighters responded to a house fire in Hixson early Tuesday morning.
The fire broke out at 1359 Orbit Dr. shortly after 3 a.m. Tuesday. Captain Scott Pell with Squad 19 said smoke and flames were shooting out a bedroom window when the first firefighters arrived on the scene.
As additional fire companies responded to the scene, Captain Pell said the fire was beginning to spread into the attic.
The firefighters took hand-held hoselines into the house and successfully extinguished the fire in the attic and the bedroom. The rest of the house had substantial smoke and water damage. No injuries were reported.
One adult woman and her dog lived in the house. Captain Pell said the woman left her home to make a quick trip to a local convenience store. She said that when she returned, her home was on fire. The house is insured. The woman and her dog will be staying elsewhere until repairs are made.
The cause of the fire has been ruled accidental. A fire investigator says the fire was started by a portable space heater. "A key safety tip to keep in mind is to turn off your space heater when leaving the room, and especially if you're leaving the house, even for a short trip," the fire investigator said.
Chattanooga Police and Hamilton County EMS also provided assistance on the scene.