Multiple people were rescued from their apartment building in Chattanooga’s North Shore overnight.
Red Shift companies were dispatched at 1:32 a.m. on Friday, to 417 Frazier Ave. Engine 12 saw smoke as they headed to the scene and went to the back of the structure where heavy smoke and flames were coming from the parking garage. Several vehicles were on fire and the smoke from the blaze was filling the entire building. As they pulled handlines, forced entry into the garage and started fire attack, other responding fire companies were in search and rescue mode.
With thick smoke and no visibility, residents were unable to escape. Firefighters helped several people down Ladder 1’s aerial ladder from the fourth floor. They also brought other residents down a back staircase with their pets.
In total, seven people were rescued and five people were transported to the hospital with minor smoke inhalation. Two people were evaluated by EMS on the scene.
Crews fighting the vehicle fires in the garage used two attack lines and then a third foam line for the gasoline tanks. They successfully contained the fire to the garage, preventing it from spreading throughout the rest of the structure. Firefighters thoroughly searched every floor of the building and no other victims were found.
The fire was under control by 2:30 a.m. and extinguished by 2:47 AM. CFD investigators are working to determine what caused the blaze.
The apartments sustained smoke damage from the fire, displacing residents, and cars in the garage were also damaged.
CFD, CPD, Hamilton County EMS, Hamilton County 911’s Incident Dispatch Unit, EPB, CFD Investigations, CFD Supply, and CFD Training Division responded. Mutual aid partners from other area fire departments answered calls at our fire halls while the CFD worked the two-alarm fire.