photo by Chattanooga Fire Department
A Chattanooga firefighter was taken to the hospital from the scene of a fire on 4th Avenue.
At 12:37 a.m. on Sunday, multiple Blue Shift companies responded to a reported commercial fire at a former business in the 2600 block. The business has been closed down for a number of years and it was fully engulfed in flames on arrival.
Crews launched a defensive operation, working to tackle the blaze from the exterior. During that time, part of the building collapsed on one of the firefighters. Other firefighters were able to get him out quickly and he was immediately taken over to Hamilton County EMS personnel on the scene. His injuries appeared to be minor, but he was taken to the hospital for precautionary reasons. He was treated and released.
Members of the Chattanooga Fire Department continued fighting the fire and it took approximately 30 minutes to get it knocked down. They were thorough with overhaul, making sure the fire was fully extinguished.
The cause is now under investigation. The building, which was the old Ricky's Restaurant, was destroyed. There were no other injuries.