Battalion Chief Chris Willmore
Three Chattanooga Police officers were meeting on Saturday at 3:50 p.m. when a passerby notified them that a nearby home was on fire.
Units from the Chattanooga Fire Department were already heading that way on an automatic fire alarm. Officers Dobb, Day and Seech arrived on scene and found smoke and flames coming from one of the bedroom windows of the house. Neighbors from across the street were saying that someone was in the house.
The officers opened the front door and encountered waist high thick black smoke. They ducked down and saw Ernestine Miller a few feet inside the door struggling to get out of the deadly smoke. The officers quickly grabbed the 79-year-old woman and pulled her out into the front yard.
Shortly afterward, Chattanooga Fire Department units began arriving on the scene along with units from Hamilton County EMS. The fire was extinguished in less than 10 minutes. Ms. Miller was treated and transported to Erlanger Medical Center for precautionary measures.
According to Captain David Brooks, the incident commander, the fire appeared to have started in the front bedroom. The cause of the fire is being investigated by Captain Henry McElvain of the Chattanooga Fire Department. At this time, the cause of the fire and estimated dollar loss is undetermined.
The Red Cross will be assisting Ms. Miller and her family while their home is being repaired.