A fire investigator believes a blaze that destroyed a home in the 2600 block of Ocoee Street on Wednesday morning was deliberately set, according to a news release from the Chattanooga Fire Department.
The release provided no further information about the investigator's findings, but citizens were asked to offer up any information they believe could help in the investigation by calling the Tennessee Arson Hotline at 1-800-762-3017. An award of up to $5,000 is available for individuals who provide information that leads to an arrest. Tipsters may also reach the Tennessee Arson Hotline online at www.tnarson.org.
Firefighters received an alarm for the fire at 4:59 a.m. and they responded with four fire companies. Capt. Wadie Suttles with Engine 4 said firefighters could see the 30-foot-high flames from miles away as the rushed to the scene, according to a release.
The home was engulfed in flames as the fire engines arrived on the scene, with nearby homes being threatened. The residents were observed spraying the exterior of their homes with garden hoses in an attempt to protect the houses.
In response to the potential for the fire to spread to the nearby homes, Suttles called for two additional fire companies to fight the conflagration.
"Meanwhile, with flames breaking through the roof, the decision was made to fight the fire defensively," reads the fire department's release. "The firefighters raised an aerial to spray water on the house from above, while other firefighters used hand-held hose lines to attack the fire from all sides, and to protect the neighboring homes. Those homes showed some signs of heat damage to the siding, but that appeared to be the extent of the damage."
Suttles reported the home had been vacant for months and there was no electrical service to it.
A damaged Amtrak train car is lowered from an overpass at the scene of Monday's deadly train crash onto Interstate 5 Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators say they don't yet know why the Amtrak train was traveling 50 mph over the speed limit when it derailed Monday south of Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)