Cigarette May Have Started $750,000 Motel Fire

Fire investigators say a discarded cigarette may have started the fire at a Chattanooga motel yesterday, although they may never know for sure.

Spokesperson Bruce Garners says they estimate $750,000 in damage. Lieutenant Anthony Moore with the Fire Investigation Division said 8 to 10 rooms were damaged by fire or water. Some adjacent rooms sustained smoke damage.

Chattanooga firefighters were able to save most of the two-story, 80-room building. No injuries were reported except a fire fighter who suffered from heat exhaustion.

Lt. Moore believes the fire actually started outside, next to the building. He said the burn patterns indicate that the fire started in the mulch and traveled up a wooden column into the attic. From there, the flames spread quickly through the attic until the firefighters gained access to extinguish the fire.

Lt. Moore said that many cigarette butts were found in the area where the fire started.

Representatives with the fire marshal's office will be checking into reports from some of the residents that the fire alarm system did not work. If infractions are found, the owner could be cited to court for a misdemeanor charge.