Photo by Bill Carson

On March 26, at 0945 HRS, Chattanooga (Tenn.) firefighters responding to a house fire on 7th Avenue in Chattanooga spotted a structure fire on West Side Drive at a commercial motel. Several calls were coming into the 911 center at the same time that the firefighters spotted the blaze. Those firefighters continued their response to the house fire because they learned that the motel was vacant. Several other companies were immediately dispatched to the motel fire.

Within minutes, the first engine company arrived on the scene and reported heavy involvement with flames through the roof. The next arriving engine company was requested to lay a supply line from a hydrant. The first-in ladder company was requested to quickly set up and start dumping water from the top of their ladder. With a large portion of the building already involved and flames leaping from the roof, an additional alarm was put out, bringing several additional companies to the scene of the fire. The hot blaze traveled rapidly through the structure, causing substantial heat and fire damage. Quick and aggressive firefighting tactics brought the fire under control in about 90 minutes. In total, 12 City of Chattanooga Fire Companies, four City of Chattanooga Fire Chiefs, the Chattanooga Hamilton County Rescue, the East Ridge Fire Department and the Hamilton County EMS responded to the scene.