Chattanooga Firefighter Injured

A Chattanooga firefighter was taken to the hospital after being injured in a house fire late Monday night. The fire started shortly after 11:00 p.m. Monday at 3515 Battery Drive. Battalion Chief Mike Knox said flames were visible at the rear of the house when the first firefighters arrived.

Chief Knox said the firefighters tried to pull down part of the ceiling to gain access to the fire, but their efforts were hampered by a false ceiling that concealed a tongue-and-groove ceiling. The fire conditions deteriorated quickly when the tongue-and-groove ceiling was breached, so Chief Knox ordered the firefighters to evacuate the building.

During the evacuation, one firefighter was standing on an attic ladder spraying water in the attic and apparently could not hear the evacuation order. The deteriorating conditions involved what firefighters call a "flashover." Spokesperson Bruce Garner sid "A falshover is one of the most dangerous conditions firefighters can encounter. That's when there is the near simultaneous ignition of combustible material in an enclosed area. As a result, temperatures can very quickly soar to more than 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit."

Other firefighters attempted to pull the firefighter to safety. In the process, he fell backwards several feet onto the floor below and injured his back. During the fall, he also had his SCBA mask partially knocked off and he breathed in some of the toxic smoke. Right after the firefighter hit the floor, the other firefighters quickly pulled him out of the house to safety.

Chief Knox said the firefighter's special fire retardant pants had partially burned through, but the inside liner prevented any burns.

The firefighter was taken to Memorial Hospital where he was treated and released Tuesday morning.

The house was considered a total loss, with damages estimated at $85,000. No one was reportedly home when the fire started. The cause of the fire is undetermined and under investigation.