For the Reporter
A kitchen fire in the 9400 block of Southeast 240 Street displaced an adult and three children Friday night, the Kent Fire Department reported.
The fire was reported at 10 p.m. after oil used for cooking caught fire on the stove top. A garden hose was used to extinguish the fire but only spread the burning oil across the kitchen. Fortunately, a neighbor used a dry chemical extinguisher to put out most of the fire and to keep it from spreading to other parts of the two-story house.
No one was injured and the fire damage was limited to the kitchen area. Smoke did spread throughout the house but was removed by firefighters from the Kent Fire Department RFA.
The displaced family members will be staying with relatives, and Red Cross was not needed.
Kitchen safety: Kitchen fires are the most common type of residential fires that firefighters see. These tips can greatly reduce the chance of a fire or its damage if one starts.
• Always cook on medium, not high heat, when using oil.
• Always have the matching pan lid and an oven mitt handy to cover a burning pan with if it does catch fire.
• Never use water to extinguish an oil fire. Water will spread the burning oil resulting in steam or oil burns.
• Never try to remove a burning pan from the stove top. This can result in burns and can spread the fire.
• Never leave the kitchen when cooking. Remember to keep an eye on what you fry.
• Have working smoke alarms in your home to warn you of a fire.
• Call 911 if you have any doubts about whether a fire is fully extinguished or if a person gets burned.
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