6/20/2006

Fire caused substantial damage to a Brainerd home this morning, but the end result could have been even worse.  Julius Howard (40) said he left for work this morning around 5:00 a.m., but was notified a short time later by a neighbor that his house at 1101 Anita Drive was on fire.  Chattanooga firefighters worked quickly to contain the blaze to the kitchen and the roof above, but there was smoke and water damage to the rest of the house.  The dollar loss was estimated at $60,000.  No one was injured.

Howard's wife was away at work, but his teenage son was asleep in bed when the fire broke out.  His son said he woke to the smell of smoke and got out of the house safely.  There was a smoke alarm in the house, but it reportedly was not working.  In talking with Captain James Whitmire with the Fire Investigation Division, Mr. Howard remembered turning on a stove eye to heat up some grease, but evidently forgot about it and left for work.  The cause of the fire has been ruled accidental.

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