Fire Department

A downtown man suffered burns but was not transported to the hospital after grabbing a hot utensil from his stovetop.

Engine Company 3 and a full structure fire complement responded to the 100 block of S. Franklin Street after the man called 911 to report a small fire on his stove. As other responding crews staged, Engine Company 3 met with the occupant, who said the fire was now out. All other crews were dismissed from the scene as Engine Company 3 continued to investigate.

The man told firefighters he thought he turned the oven on to bake a pizza. He stepped into another room, and upon returning to the kitchen, he realized he’d actually turned on a stovetop burner. A cooking utensil left on the stovetop had melted and caught fire. The man picked up the utensil with his bare hand and placed it in a pot of water in the sink. In doing so, he sustained first-degree burns to his fingers.

Paramedics evaluated the fire-related injuries, but the patient declined to be taken to the hospital by ambulance. Firefighters ventilated the smoky unit and adjacent hallway, and the occupant was able to return to the apartment.