Firefighters with Quint 4 continue to wet down the debris as a trackhoe from public works tears down the remaining walls of the building that was on fire
Firefighters enter the adjacent building to search for any fire extension from the original fire
Some firefighters entered the building on the 2nd and 3rd floors with help from Ladder 1 to begin their search for hot spots
Shortly after starting their shift at 7:00 this morning, a firefighter took this photo of these firefighters with Green Shift getting themselves ready as they are transported in a nice air conditioned haz-mat truck to what they know will be a long, hot day on a fire scene
Chattanooga firefighters have left the scene of the two-alarm blaze at the old Standard Coosa Thatcher Mill that started at 3 a.m. on Tuesday. The firefighters on Blue Shift, who initially responded to the blaze, ended their shift at 7 a.m. and were replaced by firefighters from another 10 fire companies on Green Shift. Their mission was to finish putting out hot spots where the fire occurred, and to search for any fire extension in an adjacent building. The whole mill, which has been vacant for many years, consists of several large buildings that cover an entire city block.
One building burned to the ground and there was some fire extension into an adjacent building. The firefighters spent the last several hours going through the building, room by room, putting out any hot spots they came across. Battalion Chief Lesley Morgan said no injuries were reported in this operation, but the firefighters had to be rotated out due to the high heat and humidity. By 2:30 p.m., the firefighters had completed their mop-up operation and left the scene.
Chattanooga firefighters were dispatched to a large fire at the corner of 18th Street and S. Watkins at 3 a.m. Tuesday. Firefighters said they could see the flames from miles away. As the initial fire companies arrived on the scene at the old Standard Coosa Thatcher plant, most of the old textile mill, closed for years, was engulfed in flames. The building covered the equivalent of an entire city block.
Battalion Chief Chris Willmore called for a second alarm response, bringing the total number of fire companies on the scene to 10. The firefighters raised their aerials to pour large amounts of water on top of the building, while firefighters used hand-held hose lines around the building to keep the fire from spreading to neighboring homes. Chief Willmore said it took 40 firefighters up to two hours to get the fire contained. It would take a lot longer to get all the hot spots out. One firefighter was treated on the scene by Hamilton County EMS for heat exhaustion.
The building was supposedly vacant, but it will take firefighters several hours to search through the building to confirm that no one was inside at the time of the fire. A trackhoe with city public works has been called in to tear down parts of the building to help firefighters finish putting out the hot spots. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Chattanooga police provided assistance with traffic control, and also helped to keep motorists from driving over the firefighters' hoselines. Chattanooga-Hamilton County Rescue was also there with its Rehab truck to help keep the firefighters hydrated.