Overnight Fire Thought To Be Deliberately Set

Here's the press release from the Chattanooga Fire Department:

Chattanooga firefighters responded to an early morning fire today at 2209 Bachman Street.  The house was occupied by a woman and her granddaughter.  The woman told firefighters that she was in bed asleep when she woke to a “popping noise.”   She got out of bed to investigate, but when she didn’t find anything, she went back to bed.  A few minutes later, she said her brother banged on a door yelling that her house was on fire.  The woman got her granddaughter and got out of the house uninjured. The Chattanooga Fire Department received the alarm shortly after midnight and responded with four fire companies.  When the first firefighters arrived on the scene, flames were shooting through the roof.  Battalion Chief Mike Knox said the firefighters were able to get the fire under control quickly, but not before fire caused considerable damage.  The dollar loss was estimated at around $50,000.  No injuries were reported. Lt. Henry McElvain with the Fire Investigation Division is interviewing eyewitnesses and examining the burn patterns.  After his initial investigation, Lt. McElvain determined that the fire had been deliberately set.  No other details are available at this time.  The investigation will continue. Chattanooga police, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Rescue and volunteers with the American Red Cross provided assistance on the scene.