Fire Destroys East Ridge House EAST RIDGE, TENN – At about 4:30 PM, Tuesday, November 6, 2007, the East Ridge Fire Department was dispatched on a report of a residential fire at 5000 Covington Drive at Greenup Lane.  Squad 1 arrived to find heavy smoke coming from all visible doors and windows as well as the eaves.  Fire was visible in the interior. Firefighters on Squad 1 immediately pulled an inch and three quarter line in the front door and began making an interior attack.  Fire was already in the attic and almost all of the rooms.  The also began making a primary search for any victims.  Meanwhile the homeowners were located on the outside of the home suffering from minor smoke inhalation. As medics from Memorial EMS were treating the victims on the scene, additional apparatus and firefighters arrived and assisted in extinguishing the fire.  Firefighters from Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia Fire and Rescue Engine 10 and Battalion Chief Marlin Thompson also responded and assisted. Firefighters made a strong and aggressive hit on the fire and kept it from taking the roof.   Unfortunately the fire had a major head start and ran the entire length of the attic and destroyed the majority of the interior of the house.  There had been an addition added to the house at some point and it made it difficult to make access to some of the fire.   The homeowners, a couple in their 60’s, were home when the fire started.  Although they were treated for smoke inhalation they did not require hospitalization.  There were no other injuries.  The cause of the fire is unknown at this time and is under investigation.  Damage is thought to be in the neighborhood of $100,000.  The American Red Cross was contacted to assist the homeowners.