Man suffers serious burns saving children

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – A Chattanooga man suffered serious burns this morning as he worked to get 4 children out of a burning home in East Lake.

Investigators have not identified the man, but the home was destroyed.

The house was engulfed when firetrucks rolled up to 3016 13th Avenue about 1:30 this morning. A neighbor told them all occupants were out but there were a couple of dogs still inside. They set to work to keep the fire from spreading.

BRUCE — “When the first firefighters arrived, the firefighters indicated that the bulk of the house was already totally engulfed in flames, and was threatening to spread to another house.”

Firefighters then learned of the narrow escape of the occupants.

BRUCE– “I’m told that there were uh, four children were in the house at the time who were in the care of their uncle, the four children got out of the house unharmed, I’m told, but the uncle, did sustain some burns to his face and hands, he was transported to Erlanger and then soon after that he was transported to the burn unit at Vanderbilt medical center.”

A family friend was at the home today looking at the damage.

ADRIAN WILLIAMS “When I found out most of them are ok, I was, ok, so – and now I’m just trying to help out as much as I can.”

Williams can understand the situation well—his family lost a to a fire in 2005.

“The hardest part was, waking up, in the middle of the house with it burning down, not knowing if I was going to make it out or not.”

The fire started in the laundry room and appeared to have been accidental. The cause is still under investigation, but the loss was estimated at $90,000.