An early morning house fire in Skyway started when an elderly female resident turned away from a meal she was cooking and the grease from the pan caught fire, spreading throughout the kitchen despite attempts to put the fire out.
“The initial call, from a neighbor at 12:02 a.m. reported smoke in the area,” said Skyway Fire spokesperson Dave Nelson in a press release. “Engine 22 was dispatched and upon arrival found a house involved with fire.”
Additional units from Tukwila, Renton, Z3 Rehab, King County Medic One and King County Sheriffs Office responded. Firefighters were credited for their fast work attacking the fire before the entire house was engulfed by flames.
The elderly resident was uninjured, but was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. The house is a complete loss and damage is estimated at $100,000 per the King County Sheriffs Office Fire Investigation Unit.
The Seattle Red Cross is assisting the resident with housing.
“Cooking fires are the number one cause of fires in our fire district,” said Nelson.
He offered the following tips:
• Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol don’t use the stove or stove top.
• Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stove top.