A large warehouse burned Sunday morning at Enterprise South industrial park, and high, gusty winds put some firefighters in danger while battling the flames.
No injuries were reported in connection with the fire, which was reported about 11:30 a.m., said Bruce Garner public information officer with the Chattanooga Fire Department.
The building was not located near the new Volkswagen assembly plant now being built at Enterprise South, he said.
But winds were blowing in 20- to 25-mph gusts and, when the winds shifted, one fire truck was almost engulfed in flames, he said.
Unit Quint 6 had pulled up fairly close to the fire in order to use its aerial hose to spray water on top of the building, Mr. Garner said. The firefighters were able to pull the truck away without being injured and the only damage to the truck was some melted plastic, he said.
The fire started when a man using a cutting torch to remove pipe from the old building accidentally set the building on fire, Mr. Garner said. The flames spread quickly through the wooden structure, he said.
While the fire burned, a loud explosion was heard inside the building. Firefighters aren’t sure, Mr. Garner said, but they suspect it could have been the acetylene tank that the worker was using with his cutting torch.
Firefighters from 11 fire companies surrounded the structure and most of the blaze was eventually under control within a couple of hours, Mr. Garner said, but firefighters expected to remain on the scene throughout the afternoon putting out hot spots.
A fire investigator was called to the scene to confirm the cause of the fire, Mr. Garner said.
Chattanooga police, Hamilton County EMS and Chattanooga-Hamilton County Rescue also provided assistance on the scene.