Chattanooga, TN – A fast response from the Chattanooga Fire Department (CFD) prevented major damage during a commercial structure fire on Gunbarrel Road on the afternoon of April 10, 2025.
The fire was reported around 4:58 p.m. after witnesses noticed black smoke coming from a business space undergoing renovation next to Jersey Mike’s, in the same shopping center as Best Buy and Petco.
Responding units arrived to find flames emerging from the roof, which were later confirmed to have originated from a burning HVAC unit.
Firefighters quickly forced entry through the front entrance to attack the fire directly. Simultaneously, aerial operations were initiated to assist in suppressing the flames from above.
Thanks to the swift actions of crews from Engine 8, Ladder 7, Engine 21, Ladder 13, Engine 6, Squad 13, Squad 7, Battalion 3, and Battalion 2, the fire was under control by 5:17 p.m. There were no reported injuries.
The Chattanooga Police Department and Hamilton County EMS were on the scene to assist. In addition, mutual aid partners from the Tri-State Mutual Aid Association helped cover other CFD stations during the incident to maintain emergency response capabilities throughout the city.
Officials praised the community members who quickly called 911 after spotting the smoke, noting that early notification played a key role in preventing the fire from spreading to nearby businesses. The cause of the fire was determined to be the HVAC unit, and no foul play is suspected.