Fire Department

Engine 10 arrived to a partially evacuated residence on Vera Court Friday morning after being dispatched to a kitchen fire there. When firefighters entered the affected apartment, the fire was out, but smoke had spread throughout the unit and the adjacent hallway. The fire crew took the proper precautions to ensure a fire wouldn’t reignite and verified that the fire hadn’t spread.

Ladder 8 was on scene to assist in ventilating the building, as well as silencing and resetting the building’s fire alarm system.

Fire investigators determined that the cause of the fire was unattended heating of cooking oil. A resident reports she forgot she had oil heating on the stove when she stepped outside. Moments later, she and another occupant heard a smoke detector sounding and attempted to put out the fire.

Heat and fire damage is contained to the kitchen, including heavy charring to the wall behind the stove, the cabinets above the stove, and the ceiling. Overall estimated dollar loss is $6000.

One resident was transported to the hospital for concerns of smoke inhalation. Both were unable to return to their apartment, and the American Red Cross was called to assist in finding temporary housing.