Chattanooga firefighters dodged a “live and popping” electrical wire Wednesday while extinguishing an East Lake house fire.
Firefighters responded to a house fire at 4912 15th Ave. shortly after 10 p.m. Wednesday night, according to a news release. Captain David Barie with Engine 9 said flames had already broken through two windows and an exterior wall of the small house when the first firefighters arrived.
Electrical service line to the structure had burned free from the house and was still “live and popping in the yard,” which posed a real hazard for the firefighters, Capt. Barie said. A repair crew with EPB was called in to disconnect power to the downed line.
After about 20 minutes, firefighters had contained the fire to about half the house, said Bruce Garner, spokesman for the Chattanooga Fire Department. The rest of the structure had heat and smoke damage, he said, but no injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire is undetermined and under investigation, Mr. Garner said.
The dollar loss was estimated at around $25,000, he said.
Volunteers with the Red Cross were called in to provide assistance to the fire victim.
Chattanooga police and Hamilton County EMS also provided assistance on the scene.