Residents Rebuild After Devastating Fire
HIXSON, Tenn. (WDEF) – A massive apartment fire in Hixson left dozens of people without homes Sunday, but residents say support from the community is helping them move forward.
Investigators say a lightning strike sparked the three-alarm fire at Integra Vistas Apartments. The flames damaged 42 apartments and displaced about 70 residents.
Fire crews from across the Chattanooga area responded to the scene, working to contain the fire and prevent the flames from spreading. Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly says one challenge firefighters faced was the apartment complex’s water supply.
“That complex did not have sufficient water supply to actually put the thing out that is a state code issue so we will add that to our list of things to talk to state partners about we were in fact fortunately able to go out to 153 you know and tap into more water supplies it is an area of concern that frankly I haven’t run into before as mayor,” Kelly said.
Among the residents affected was UTC graduate Chandler Mason, who lost his apartment, nearly all of his belongings, and possibly his and his girlfriend’s cat in the fire.
Mason says the reality of what happened set in when he returned to the apartment complex and learned his home was gone.
“Walked up there I saw them and they knew what apartment I was in the officer didn’t and they said are you an apartment 409 and I went yeah yeah that’s me and they went. I’m so sorry and I was just like whoa. OK this kind of sucks. You know like this is real now and you can smell smoke,” Mason said.
Despite losing so much, Mason says he is choosing to focus on the people who have supported him through the aftermath.
“You don’t have to be fake about what’s going on. You don’t have to be naïve, but you can be relentlessly optimistic. For instance, I did lose all my stuff. It’s all basically gone except for the target stuff shout out target none of it burned and so like I know that my stuff is gone, however what I also know is that I am. I have a great family now I know exactly who my friends are because they’re the ones who reached out,” Mason said.
Mason is one of dozens of residents now working to rebuild after losing their homes and everyday necessities.
He says he hopes the tragedy can also bring neighbors together, even those who never knew each other before the fire.
“I would actually really love this is like my only ask if we could all be together as like the people who got affected like I wanna meet everyone every single person I wanna meet I actually weirdly enough never have met anyone at the apartments until this fire happened and it’s so weird that that’s the situation you have to be in,” Mason said.
Community members have stepped up to help families impacted by the fire. Berean Baptist Church in Hixson opened its doors to provide support and collect donated items for residents.
The church says they are at full capcity and can’t receive more as the response from the community has already helped meet real needs for families as they begin rebuilding.
