Yuma, Arizona - On Monday, at about 8:40 pm, a fire was reported in a home at 604 South 9th Avenue. Arriving Yuma Fire Department personnel saw smoke coming from the home and all occupants had evacuated safely. Firefighters found that the fire appeared to have been extinguished with a home fire extinguisher but significant damage had been done in the kitchen area. Firefighters confirmed that the fire was out and had not extended into the walls or ceiling areas. They also used ventilator fans to remove the smoke from the home.
It was determined that a pan of oil had been left unattended on the stove and caught fire. One adult and 5 children between the ages of 12 and 16 were home at the time of the fire. The home was not able to be reoccupied without repairs and the American Red Cross provided assistance to the 2 adults and 5 children who lived there.
October 9-15 is National Fire Prevention Week. The most common place for fires to start is in the kitchen. The most common place in the kitchen is the stove top and the most common cause is unattended cooking. Always “Watch what you heat”, safety is no accident.