East Ridge Fire Chief Mike Williams, left, examines a stove hood fan at the scene of a fire on Gleason Drive Tuesday night.

Fire damaged a duplex on Gleason Drive and sent one resident to the hospital, early Tuesday evening.

According to East Ridge Fire Chief Mike Williams, firefighters responded to the call at 3343 Gleason Drive at 7:49. When they arrived there was light smoke coming from the left side of the duplex. All the occupants of the duplex, two adults and two children, were outside when firefighters began an interior attack.

“One of the occupants tried to extinguish the fire before firefighters arrived,” he said. “He was treated for smoke inhalation on the scene and transported by ambulance to Parkridge East.”

Fire officials said the the man who attempted to put the fire out before firefighters arrived used a fire extinguisher in his efforts. It was noted that the fire extinguisher was laying in the front yard of the duplex.

Chief Williams said the fire appeared to have started in the kitchen around the stove. He said that one woman who lived there told firefighters that she had been cooking earlier in the evening.

The fire engulfed the kitchen and completely destroyed the cabinets. Chief Williams said fire had spread to the attic and firefighters had to tear out the kitchen ceiling to insure that the fire did not spread to the other side of the duplex.

The fire, officials said, appears to be accidental. The Red Cross has been called in to assist the people who had been living in the duplex.