News Reports

Fire Damages Highland Park Home

posted March 15, 2006

Fire caused considerable damage to a Highland Park home late Wednesday afternoon.

Mamie Penney, 48, told firefighters that she put her last load of laundry into the clothes dryer and went to do something elsewhere in the house. A few minutes later, Ms. Penney said she heard a "popping sound" and, when she went to investigate, she could see smoke and flames in the vicinity of the dryer at the back of the house.
Ms. Penney said she first tried putting the fire out herself, but when that didn't work, she ran to a neighbor's house and called 9-1-1.

The Chattanooga Fire Department received the alarm at 4:30 p.m. and responded with several fire companies to 1508 S. Hawthorne St. Captain Ken Moses said flames were visible from the back door as the first firefighters arrived on the scene. The flames were making their way into the attic when the firefighters began their interior attack. They quickly got the fire out in the attic and contained the fire damage to the rear of the house. There was, however, a lot of smoke and water damage to the rest of the house. Captain Moses said the dollar loss was estimated at around $40,000. No injuries were reported.

Captain Moses said the physical evidence confirms the fire started in the vicinity of the dryer. The cause of the fire was ruled accidental.

Three other people lived in the house with Ms. Penney, but they were away at the time of the fire. Volunteers with the American Red Cross were called to the scene to provide assistance to the victims. Hamilton County EMS and Chattanooga Police also provided assistance on the scene.