CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Seven workers were treated for smoke inhalation after a fire at the massive Volkswagen facility in Chattanooga on Tuesday.
Nearly a dozen fire engines from the Chattanooga Fire Department joined Volkswagen’s Safety Forces to battle the fire that was reported at 8:46 a.m. in the body shop.
The facility was immediately evacuated.
Fire crews were able to determine that a conveyor belt in a confined space had caught fire. The fire was quickly extinguished.
Ventilation fans were used to clear smoke out of the large building and booms helped prevent water runoff into other areas of the structure.
There were no serious injuries, but seven Volkswagen workers were treated for minor smoke inhalation on the scene.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Assembly operations at Volkswagen were suspended for Tuesday, but production is expected to resume Wednesday.
Chattanooga Fire Department said that CFD and VW’s Fire Department have trained together for these types of events for years, making for a smooth operation.
