Chattanooga, TN – Firefighters battled a two-alarm commercial fire in downtown Chattanooga for several hours early Tuesday morning, working to prevent flames from spreading to nearby buildings.
Red Shift crews were dispatched to Huff Place off E. 23rd Street at 1:10 a.m. on December 10, 2024, following 911 reports of a burning building. Engine 5 arrived to find heavy smoke pouring from a grocery store. Firefighters initiated an interior attack and conducted a primary search, confirming no occupants were inside.
As additional crews joined the offensive operation, the fire quickly intensified. Firefighters encountered multiple ceilings and a multi-layered roof, complicating efforts. A partial roof collapse forced crews to transition to a defensive strategy. Aerial units were deployed, allowing master streams to control the blaze while protecting adjacent commercial buildings.
The grocery store, deemed structurally unsound, was demolished. No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The Chattanooga Fire Department (CFD) expressed gratitude to mutual aid partners for handling calls at local stations during the extended operation. Units responding to the scene included multiple CFD engines, ladders, squads, and battalions, along with support from CPD, Hamilton County EMS, the 911 Incident Dispatch Unit, EPB, Chattanooga Gas, a rehab unit, and CFD Supply.