photo by CFD
Chattanooga firefighters faced dangerous conditions as they rescued a man from a burning Highland Park home early Friday morning.
Blue Shift companies were called to a residence in the 1400 block of Bailey Avenue at 3:46 a.m. On arrival, they found black smoke coming from the back door and fire in a bedroom window on the side of the structure involving the downstairs apartment.
People on the scene were screaming that someone was still inside the house. Crews encountered heavy smoke from the ceiling to the floor when they entered the structure. Ladder 5 conducted a search and quickly found the victim while encountering extreme heat as Engine 5 did fire suppression.
The victim was found unresponsive in a bathroom from apparent smoke inhalation. Firefighters carried him out the back door and immediately started CPR. Patient care was transferred to paramedics and the man was transported to the hospital. His condition is unknown at this time.
Meanwhile, CFD personnel attacking the fire in the residence had it under control within minutes, containing it to the room of origin. Other companies assisted in the overall firefighting operation.
The cause of the second alarm fire is under investigation. Residents in the upstairs apartment escaped and were not injured. Several residents in the first floor apartment also escaped. It appears that injured party yelled to wake up his family so they could get out and then stayed behind to try to put the fire out, as reported by relatives.
There was extensive damage to the downstairs apartment. Engine 5, Ladder 5, Quint 1, Ladder 1, Engine 4, Squad 13, Ladder 13, Engine 15, Engine 9, Quint 10, Squad 19, Battalion 2, Battalion 3 (Blue Shift), CFD Supply, CFD Investigations, Hamilton County EMS and CPD responded.