Firefighters battle Thursday night kitchen fire in Racine

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) --  The Racine Fire Department successfully put out an accidental apartment kitchen fire at 2250 Layard Avenue Thursday night, August 5, in Racine.

Officials say the fire started at 6:17 p.m. Thursday when an apartment occupant was preparing a meal with cooking oil that was warming on the stove.

The City of Racine Fire Department says the occupant walked away from the stove leaving the oil unattended and went to answer a telephone call only to forget that she was cooking causing an apartment fire.

The apartment's sprinkler system deployed water onto the fire and put the blaze out.

Members of The Racine Fire Department had already been dispatched to the address and discovered that the fire was extinguished but would afterwards have to battle a considerable amount of water still deploying from the sprinkler system.

Authorities indicated that once contained, the building had sustained a considerable amount of water damage to the second floor and to the first floor shutting down the kitchen, building community center and the elevator which is used by the disabled occupants of the building

The Racine Fire Department press release on the incident thanks Racine firefighters who "did an excellent job in limiting the amount of water damage to both the property and the personal belongings of the occupants."

Officials say one person who is wheelchair bound has been displaced until the elevator is repaired and was aided by The American Red Cross. 

There were no injuries from the incident.

Officials estimate the damage to the structure is in excess of $130,000.00, not including elevator repairs.

The Racine Fire Department division of Fire Prevention is asking that when you are cooking please attend to what is on the stove and never walk away or become distracted.

Additionally, the department asks that if you need to take care of another task, please turn the burner off and remove the food to a safe area.

Inquiries regarding fire safety can be directed to Racine Fire Department Fire Prevention Bureau at 262-635-7915.


 

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