posted July 28, 2006
An Alton Park family is homeless after fire broke out in their home this afternoon.
Olivia Powell, 17, said she left the house to visit her grandmother, who lives across the street. Minutes later, Ms. Powell said a friend told her that her house was on fire. They called 9-1-1 at 1:20 p.m. and the Chattanooga Fire Department responded to 4209 Grand Ave. with several fire companies.
Flames were visible around the rear of the house when the first firefighters arrived on the scene. Led by Captain David Farris with Quint 14, Chattanooga firefighters made a quick interior attack to get the flames under control.
Battalion Chief Thaddeus Morton said the firefighters did a great job of containing the fire damage to the rear of the house, mostly in the kitchen. The rest of the house sustained smoke and water damage.
The dollar loss was estimated at around $25,000. No one was injured.
Captain James Whitmire with the Fire Investigation Division said the cause of the fire appears to be accidental. While being quizzed on what happened prior to the fire, Ms. Powell remembered leaving a pan of grease on the stove when she went to visit her grandmother. Captain Whitmire said the burn patterns and physical evidence in the house confirm that the fire started on the stove.
Ms. Powell and her mother, Denese Walters, were renting the home from a relative. Ms. Walters said she did not have renter's insurance, but they would be staying with relatives for the next several days.
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