House Fire Leaves 6 Homeless Early Friday Morning

A house fire early Friday morning in East Lake has left at least six people homeless.

The Chattanooga Fire Department received the alarm at 3:12 a.m. and responded with four fire companies to 3203 14th Ave. Battalion Chief Chris Willmore said the entire backside of the house was engulfed in flames. It took the firefighters roughly 30 minutes to get the blaze under control. Neighbors reported hearing loud explosions early on. Chief Willmore said propane tanks used for cooking likely exploded. Fortunately, no one was injured.

 

The house was considered a total loss, with damages estimated at $60,000 for the building and its contents.

Fire investigators are trying to confirm the cause of the fire. They are also trying to confirm whether or not the rented house had working smoke alarms. The owner of the property told Lt. Henry McElvain with the Fire Investigation Division that hard-wired smoke alarms had been installed in that house. 

Ismael Mendosa told firefighters that his son woke him to tell him the house was on fire. Lt. McElvain said the fire started outside on the back of the house, so the smoke alarms inside would not have activated until the fire got into the house. By then, the occupants may have gotten out of the house and didn't hear the smoke alarms when they activated. The investigation will continue.

All of the occupants got out of the house safely. It is unclear just how many people lived in the house. 

 

Volunteers with the American Red Cross of Southeast Tennessee responded to the scene to provide assistance to the victims.

 

Chattanooga Police, Hamilton County EMS and EPB also provided assistance.