A Chattanooga woman has succumbed to the injuries she received in a house fire on Feb. 18.
Chattanooga firefighters carried Bessie Whiteside, 78, out of her burning home on N. Hickory Street and Hamilton County EMS rushed her to Erlanger Hospital, suffering from burns and severe smoke inhalation. She remained in critical condition until she passed away on March 6. The cause of that fire remains under investigation.
Ms. Whiteside's passing is the first fire-related death in Chattanooga since Nov.
26, 2014. On that date, fire broke out at 220 Houser St. and claimed the lives of Randall and Candy Lockhart. Their three children managed to escape the blaze and are being cared for by their grandparents.