Six apartment kitchen fires made headlines this week across four states. Two were stopped by sprinkler systems. Others spread fast enough to burn through roofs and displace whole buildings of neighbors. Here’s the rundown.
Portland, Oregon — July 26
A kitchen fire in a high-rise apartment on Portland’s inner eastside was quickly extinguished Saturday afternoon. Portland Fire and Rescue crews responded just after 1:30 p.m. after smoke was seen coming from the 14th floor, near Northeast 2nd Avenue and East Burnside Street. The building’s sprinkler system put out the flames in short order, but one person was treated for possible smoke inhalation by firefighters and ambulance workers. Investigators determined the fire was accidental, caused when combustible materials were left on a stove that had been turned on by mistake. The fire was under control just before 2:30 p.m., though crews continued working to shut off the sprinkler system, clear smoke, and reduce water damage.
Madison, Wisconsin — July 27
An automatic sprinkler system prevented a stovetop fire from spreading in an apartment building on Madison’s far west side early Monday morning. Madison Fire Department crews responded to Mansion Hill Avenue, near Midtown Commons Park, just after 4:20 a.m. after reports of a fire in the unit. A fire alarm alerted the occupant, who attempted to put out the flames with towels but was unsuccessful. When crews arrived, they found the sprinkler system already suppressing the stovetop fire and used a water can to fully extinguish the remaining flames. Firefighters then conducted an overhaul of the area to confirm the fire had not spread elsewhere in the building before shutting the sprinkler system down. No injuries were reported.
Fort Worth, Texas — July 27
Fort Worth firefighters were called to an apartment fire Sunday evening in the 2800 block of Las Vegas Trail after multiple calls came in around 7 p.m. The fire was reported as a kitchen grease fire that had spread quickly throughout the apartment. Crews arrived to find fire coming from the second-floor unit. The resident and his dog escaped safely, and firefighters brought the fire under control within 15 minutes, preventing it from spreading through the whole building. Damage was contained to the apartment where the fire started and two adjacent units. Crews had to cut power to the building to fight the fire. The American Red Cross was called to help the affected residents and six neighbors find shelter in the scorching heat. No injuries were reported, and while searching for occupants, firefighters found three small puppies they reunited unharmed with their owner.
Huber Heights, Ohio — July 28
Huber Heights firefighters responded to an apartment fire near the Townhomes of Hilltop Tuesday afternoon. The fire was called in around 2:30 p.m. in the 7500 block of Mount Hood. Arriving crews found moderate smoke coming from a small kitchen fire. Residents were evacuated, but the damage was contained to the affected unit alone. No injuries were reported.
San Antonio, Texas — July 29
A cooking fire involving an air fryer tore through a building at the Pearl Park apartments on the Northwest Side Wednesday afternoon. Firefighters were called to the 5100 block of Northwest Loop 410 around 3:15 p.m. and arrived to find the building engulfed. The fire started in an upstairs unit and burned through the roof before crews knocked it down just before 4 p.m. Of the eight units in the building, two sustained significant fire damage, with lower units taking water damage. Around 40 units responded, in part to rotate crews in the summer heat. Nineteen residents were displaced. All three pets were accounted for and no injuries were reported.
Newton Falls, Ohio — July 29
Firefighters from multiple departments responded to an apartment fire in Newton Falls Wednesday morning. The fire started in the 600 block of Ridge Road shortly before 10 a.m. Crews limited the fire so that it only affected one kitchen in a single apartment and had it out in under 10 minutes, with everyone evacuated safely. One firefighter was injured and taken to the hospital for evaluation and treatment, and is in stable condition. Damage was estimated at around $4,000. The State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause.
Six fires in one week. In Portland, combustible materials on a stove turned on by mistake. In Madison, a stovetop fire that an occupant couldn’t beat with towels. In Fort Worth, a grease fire that spread through an apartment in minutes. In Huber Heights, a small kitchen fire caught before it could leave the unit. In San Antonio, an air fryer fire that burned through a roof and displaced 19 people. In Newton Falls, a kitchen fire held to a single unit, though a firefighter was hurt putting it out. In two of the six, a sprinkler system was the difference between a contained fire and a building-wide emergency.
If you want to see how FireBot stops a kitchen fire at the stove before it becomes everyone’s problem, take a look at firebotssuppression.com.