posted June 26, 2008
) Bethany Ware, disaster coordinator with the Chattanooga chapter of the American Red Cross, arrives on the scene to provide assistance to the fire victims. |
Chattanooga fire investigators believe the duplex located at 1602 E. 17th St. was firebombed Thursday morning.
Capt. James Whitmire with the Fire Investigation Division said the evidence obtained on the scene indicates that a container with some sort of flammable liquid was thrown on the back porch of the duplex.
No one was reportedly home at the time, but the fire burned up the back bedroom and caused about $15,000 in damages.
Capt. Whitmire said fire investigators are also looking at two separate car fires that occurred in the same general area within an hour or two of each other. He said he requested assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, which he said is standard protocol in such incidents. Lt. Henry McElvain is the lead fire investigator on the duplex fire.
The ATF is bringing in an "arson dog" on Thursday from Nashville to assist with the investigation. At this point in the investigation, there is no physical evidence collected yet that links the three fires together, or links the fires to the stabbing and other seemingly related incidents currently being handled by Chattanooga police. The investigation will continue by all three agencies.
The Chattanooga Fire Department received the alarm at 6:28 a.m. and responded to 1602 E. 17th St. with four fire companies. Battalion Chief Ben Biggs said smoke and flames were visible at the rear of the duplex when the first firefighters arrived on the scene.
Chief Biggs said the firefighters were able to contain the fire damage to a back bedroom, though the rest of the duplex sustained smoke damage.
The residents of the duplex, Jocelyn Davenport and her 21-year-old son, were reportedly not home at the time of the fire. A resident on the other side of the duplex was the first to notice the fire and call 911.
Volunteers with the American Red Cross were called to the scene to assist the family.
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