A fire that may have started in the kitchen has displaced seven people from a Helen Lane duplex Thursday night.

According to East Ridge Fire Chief Mike Williams, the call came in at 10:16 p.m. at 3623 Helen Lane. When firefighters arrived fire had spread from the back of the duplex up into the attic of the low-pitched roof structure.

Firefighters knocked the fire down and made an interior attack.  

Chief Williams said before firefighters arrived one party may have gone back inside the duplex to attempt to extinguish the fire. This action may have caused a delay in calling for first responders.

No one inside either unit of the duplex was hurt, Chief Williams said. However, two firefighters were treated at the scene for heat exhaustion. Both men are alright, Chief Williams said.

The Red Cross is helping shelter the displaced residence, officials said. The cause of the fire, Chief Williams said, was apparently accidental, starting in the kitchen.

Because the fire occurred in a duplex, a mutual aid call went out, officials said. A total of about 40 firefighters from Catoosa County, Rossville, Red Bank, Tri-Community and Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe helped in bringing the blaze under control. Officials said a unit from the Hamilton County Fire & Rescue were called in to provide rehabilitation services for the firefighters on the scene.

Chief Williams said some fire trucks responding on the mutual aid call were stationed at the East Ridge Fire Hall to make sure the rest of the city was covered while firefighters fought the blaze.