The final stretch of August brought another run of apartment kitchen fires from coast to coast. Here’s a look at eight recent incidents.
Arlington, Virginia (Ballston) — August 23
A two-alarm fire broke out in the kitchen of a unit at the 1020 Apartments building on North Quincy Street Sunday night and spread before crews got it under control. Firefighters were seen breaking out windows of an eighth-floor unit as smoke filled the block. The fire was knocked down and the building ventilated. One resident and one firefighter were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The cause is under investigation.
Lewiston, Idaho — August 24
A kitchen fire at a Lewiston apartment early Monday morning caused an estimated $5,000 in damage. Firefighters responded to the 500 block of Park Street just after 4 a.m. after the occupants woke to a fire alarm and smoke in the unit. Police helped the two residents out of the building before crews arrived. Investigators determined the fire was caused by combustible materials left on the stovetop, which ignited when a burner was accidentally turned on. The fire was contained to the stove, hood, and cabinetry. The two occupants were checked by medical crews and released. No injuries were reported.
Princeton, Missouri — August 26
The Mercer County Fire Protection District responded to an apartment fire near 100 Jefferson Street Wednesday afternoon. Firefighters arrived to find smoke spreading through the upper story of a two-story brick building, with flames visible on the north side of the second floor. Crews knocked down the visible flames, then used a ladder to direct water into the second floor before entering to extinguish the remaining fire. The district reported the fire is believed to have originated in the kitchen area. Crews remained on scene for about three hours. No injuries were reported.
Kennewick, Washington — August 26
Firefighters found heavy smoke and flames coming from a two-story apartment building at the Columbia River Apartments on West Rio Grande Avenue. Four units were evacuated. Two people suffered effects of smoke inhalation, and one of them also suffered burns; both were treated at the scene. Crews gained control of the fire within two hours, though the building was heavily damaged, including holes in the roof. Eight people were left unable to return home and were assisted by the American Red Cross. The fire was first reported in the kitchen area of one of the apartments, though a cause had not yet been released.
Washington, DC — August 27
An early morning fire displaced four adult residents and four dogs from a three-story apartment building in the 3500 block of 22nd Street in southeast Washington. Investigators say the fire began in the kitchen of a first-floor unit and was contained to the kitchen without spreading to adjacent units. No injuries were reported. The cause remains under investigation.
Albuquerque, New Mexico — August 30
Albuquerque Fire Rescue responded to a possible kitchen fire at the Arrowhead Pointe Apartments on Skyline Road NE Sunday afternoon. Crews found a second-floor apartment with light smoke coming from the front door and the fire already extinguished, with damage mostly contained to the stove area and some small cabinets above it. Two kittens were rescued from the apartment and four occupants were displaced, assisted by the Red Cross and on-site management. The cause was determined to be accidental.
Desert Hot Springs, California — August 30
Firefighters were called to a two-story apartment building on Ironwood Drive Saturday morning, where they found heavy smoke coming from the second floor. Two adults and two children were displaced. Three firefighters and one resident were taken to the hospital after experiencing heat-related illness during the response. Crews said they suspect the fire may have started in the kitchen of one of the units.
Anniston, Alabama — August 30
A cooking fire at the Wesley Park Apartments was contained by the building’s automatic sprinkler system before it could spread. Anniston firefighters responded Sunday morning after smoke was seen coming from a second-story apartment and found the sprinkler system had already put out the fire. Crews remained on scene to protect residents’ belongings and confirm the apartment was safe.
Eight fires in eight days. In Arlington, a two-alarm kitchen fire that put a resident and a firefighter in the hospital. In Lewiston, combustibles left on a stove. In Princeton and Kennewick, kitchen fires that pulled long, heavy responses. In DC, a kitchen fire held to one unit. In Albuquerque and Anniston, fires caught at the stove or stopped by sprinklers. In Desert Hot Springs, a suspected kitchen fire that sent four people to the hospital in the heat. Different states, same starting point.
If you want to see how FireBot stops a kitchen fire at the stove before it spreads, take a look at firebotssuppression.com.