Grease fire ruled cause of Webb Road Apartment blaze

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – Chattanooga Fire officials have ruled the apartment fire from overnight as accidental.

A resident told them he was heating up some grease on the stove to cook and left it unattended.

When he returned, the kitchen was on fire and spreading quickly.

Firefighters got the call just after midnight to the building at 4114 Webb Road off Highway 58.

The photograph was taken by Battalion Chief Rick Boatwright as he arrived.

You can see the flames already shooting 20 feet into the air.

There were three apartments in the building.

Fortunately, a Chattanooga police officer arrived first and banged on the doors to wake everyone up.

Five people were put out by the fire.

But no one was hurt.

Firefighters did manage to keep the fire from doing too much damage to another building that was just 20 feet away.

It suffered damage to siding and the roof.

This photo was taken by Bruce Garner with the Chattanooga Police Department on the mop up.