photo by Chattanooga Fire Department
A woman and her dog escaped their burning home with only seconds to spare as a grease fire in the kitchen spread very quickly Thursday afternoon in Ware Heights subdivision.
.On Thursday 9/14/23 at 2:12 PM,
Red Shift companies responded to a residence in the 5100 block of Lantana Lane off Highway 58 in the Ware Heights subdivision at 2:12 p.m.
The call originally came in as a fire alarm and then a neighbor called 911 to report that the kitchen was on fire.
Engine 15 could see smoke from Highway 58 and when they arrived on the scene, Lt.
Michael Battle took command. Heavy fire and smoke was showing from the front and side of the house. The garage and kitchen were fully involved.
Officials said, "Firefighters established a water supply and then several crews went in for an aggressive offensive fire attack as flames broke through the roof. The garage and car parked inside the garage were on fire with gasoline from the car burning, adding to the fire fight. Several hundred feet of supply line was needed and pressure was boosted due to the extended length of the lay.
"Firefighters had the blaze under control in 10-15 minutes,and prevented the fire from ravaging the rest of the structure."
The resident said she was home at the time cooking, when she found herself dealing with a grease fire. She said she went to call 911, and when she turned back, the flames had spread rapidly. She grabbed her dog and got out without any injuries.
"She will be receiving assistance from the American Red Cross as she deals with the aftermath of this fire," officials said.
Responding units/agencies included: Engine 15, Quint 6, Quint 8, Ladder 7, Squad 19, Battalion 2, Battalion 3, CFD Safety Chief, HCEMS, CPD and EPB.
"Thank you to Red Bank FD and East Ridge FD for filling in at our fire halls to provide coverage while our crews worked this incident," officials said.
Battalion Chief Brandon Schroyer praised the excellent work of firefighters on the scene and the tactics they employed to tackle the fire in a fast, safe and effective manner.
photo by Chattanooga Fire Department