photo by Amy Maxwell
Two teenagers escaped from a burning home at Ooltewah on Thursday night.
One of the teens called 911 reporting the house fire. At 8:26 p.m., Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department responded to 5204 Village Garden Dr.
First units arrived on the scene reporting no fire visible to the home. Firefighters were met with the teenagers in the front yard reporting heavy smoke in the basement. Firefighters conducted an interior search and found heavy smoke coming from the basement.
Fire officials reported one room contained heavy smoke. "When our crews entered the room, it appeared the fire had already burned itself out due to lack of oxygen in the room," said Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department Battalion Chief Jerry Vanderoff.
Chief Vanderoff said the two teenagers were upstairs asleep when they were awakened to the smell of smoke throughout the house. They went through the house to find the origin of the fire, found heavy smoke in the basement and evacuated the home. They escaped without injury.
The cause of the fire is undetermined and will be under investigation by the Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department Fire Marshal's Office. Damages are listed at $10,000.
The parents were not home during the incident. The family did have insurance.
photo by Amy Maxwell