Updated: Fire officials confirm fire started in kitchen; families looking for new homes after fire rips through apartments

Updated at 7:18

Emergency personnel work to extinguish a fire in Collegedale on Friday.
Emergency personnel work to extinguish a fire in Collegedale on Friday.
photo Staff photo by Dan HenryEmergency personnel work to extinguish a fire in Collegedale on Friday.

Five Collegedale families are looking for new homes after a fire destroyed most of their apartment building.

Fire officials confirmed the fire started in the kitchen in the center bottom floor apartment because of unattended cooking left on the stove.

The Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department responded to a call of a fire at 10270 Loma Cita Drive shortly before 4 p.m. Today. But because of extreme heat and high humidity the department requested assistance from the following agencies: East Ridge Fire Department, the Highway 58 Volunteer Fire Department, Catoosa County Fire Department, Bradley County Fire Rescue and Chattanooga-Hamilton County Rescue.

During the time of the fire, two separate motor vehicle accidents occurred in the area so Bradley county Fire Rescue and the Catoosa County Fire Department were diverted to the accident.

Hamilton County Emergency Services Spokeswoman Amy Maxwell said the apartment building was owned by Southern Adventist University. Four apartments in the building were completely destroyed by the fire.

No injuries were reported and the fire's cause is still under investigation, Maxwell said.

Southern Adventist University will help the five families displaced find temporary housing.

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