Two people were sent to the hospital Monday morning after being pulled by Chattanooga firefighters from their burning Alton Park home.

Blue Shift companies were called at 7:09 a.m. to a duplex in the 4100 block of Fagan Street on reports of a house fire with entrapment. Engine 14 saw smoke upon arrival and immediately went into rescue mode. Engine 9 backed them up and together, the crews rescued a man and a woman from the structure. Both were transported to the hospital with serious injuries related to toxic smoke inhalation. It appeared that both victims were trying to escape the fire, but were overwhelmed by smoke and became trapped in the back of the residence.

Meanwhile, fire suppression was simultaneously taking place by other responding CFD personnel. There were reports of children still being inside the apartment, but multiple searches turned up nothing. Fire officials later learned that family members on the other side of the duplex, including the children, were safely evacuated by police officers and unharmed.

Blue Shift made a good stop on the fire, getting it under control quickly and preventing it from spreading through the rest of the apartment and adjoining unit.

There is damage to the front of the home and smoke damage throughout the structure. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Engine 14, Engine 9, Squad 1, Ladder 1, Engine 1, Ladder 5, Engine 5, Battalion 1, Battalion 3, CFD Supply and CFD Investigations were on the scene, along with multiple Hamilton County EMS units and CPD.