Apartment kitchen fire stopped before it spreads

Chattanooga firefighters stopped a kitchen fire from spreading to other parts of the John Calvin Apartments at 364 Northgate Mall Drive this afternoon, a fire department spokesman said.

A maintenance worker responded to the fire on the third floor when the building’s fire alarm system activated about 12:20 p.m. The worker located the fire near the kitchen stove in one of the units and tried to put the flames out with a portable extinguisher, but he could not completely extinguish it, Chattanooga Fire Department spokesman Bruce Garner said.

When firefighters arrived moments later, they used portable extinguishers to put out the fire. Many of the residents in the building had been evacuated, and the rest were allowed to stay inside once the fire was out. The apartment has 95 units.

The apartment’s resident, a 61-year-old woman, was taken by Hamilton County EMS to a local hospital for a small burn to one hand and minor smoke inhalation. Her injuries are not thought to be life threatening, Mr. Garner said.

Lt. Henry McElvain with the Fire Investigation Division said the fire started on or near the stove and appears to be accidental.